American  ISoarlJ  of  CCommisstonErs  for  JForctgn  fHissions. 


REPORT 

OF  THE 

DEPUTATION  TO  JAPAN 


PRESENTED  TO  THE  PRUDENTIAL  COMMITTEE 


OF  THE 

AMERICAN  BOARD 


JANUARY  22,  1896 


BOSTON 

I Somerset  Street 
1896 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2017  with  funding  from 
Columbia  University  Libraries 


https://archive.org/details/reportofdeputatiOObart 


PREFATORY  NOTE. 


For  two  or  three  years  prior  to  1895  the  Japan  Mission  of  the  American 
Board  had  urged  that  a Deputation  be  sent  by  the  Prudential  Committee  to 
Japan  to  consider  the  situation  of  missionary  work  in  that  empire,  and  to  aid 
the  Mission  and  the  churches  by  their  presence  and  counsels  in  plans  for  the 
prosecution  of  that  work,  and  particularly  in  the  settlement  of  some  perplexing 
questions  which  had  arisen.  Various  circumstances  prevented  a favorable  re- 
sponse to  the  request  of  the  Mission  when  first  made,  but  on  March  5,  1895, 
the  Prudential  Committee  voted  to  comply  with  the  request,  and  subsequently 
the  following  gentlemen  were  designated  to  constitute  the  Deputation  : Rev. 
James  L.  Barton,  d.d..  Secretary  in  charge  of  the  Japan  Mission  ; Hon.  William 
P.  Ellison,  of  the  Prudential  Committee;  Rev.  James  G.  Johnson,  d.d.,  of 
Chicago,  and  Rev.  Amory  H.  Bradford,  d.d.,  of  Montclair,  N.  J.  Having  ful- 
filled their  trust,  the  Deputation,  on  January  22,  1896,  presented  to  the  Prudential 
Committee  the  report  which  follows. 

The  expenses  of  this  Deputation  were  met  by  liberal  contributions  from  friends 
in  New  England  and  Chicago,  so  that  it  has  been  no  charge  upon  the  treasury  of 
the  Board. 


\ 


...  i 


REPORT  OF  THE  DEPUTATION  TO  JAPAN. 


Boston,  January  22,  1896. 

To  the  Prudential  Committee  of  the  American  Board,  — The  Deputation 
appointed  by  you  to  visit  Japan  to  inquire  into  the  condition  and  needs  of  the 
missionary  work  of  the  American  Board  in  that  empire  have  attended  to  the 
duty  assigned  them,  and  respectfully  present  the  following  report.  The  instruc- 
tions of  the  Prudential  Committee  under  which  the  Deputation  went  to  Japan 
were  as  follows  : — 

THE  INSTRUCTIONS. 

Serious  and  complicated  questions  having  arisen  in  Japan,  the  Prudential 
Committee,  in  response  to  the  urgent  request  of  the  Japan  Mission,  has  appointed 
Rev.  James  L.  Barton,  d.d.,  Secretary,  Boston  ; Hon.  William  P.  Ellison,  member 
of  the  Prudential  Committee,  Newton  j Rev.  James  G.  Johnson,  d.d.,  Chicago; 
and  Rev.  A.  H.  Bradford,  d.d.,  Montclair,  N.  J.,  a Deputation  to  visit  Japan 
during  the  fall  of  1895  to  inquire,  in  behalf  of  this  committee,  into  the  condition 
of  affairs  in  that  country  as  related  to  our  missionary  work  therein,  with  the  pur- 
pose of  ascertaining  the  best  methods  for  the  further  prosecution  of  that  work, 
and  with  the  desire  of  giving  a new  and  powerful  spiritual  impulse  toward  the 
attainment,  as  early  as  possible,  of  the  one  great  end  which  the  American  Board 
holds  supreme,  namely,  the  evangelization  of  the  empire. 

The  Deputation  will  confer  freely  with  the  Mission,  with  the  representatives  of 
the  Kumi-ai  churches,  with  the  Trustees  and  Faculty  of  the  Doshisha,  with  any 
committees  that  may  be  appointed  by  different  organizations,  and  also,  as  far  as 
possible,  with  individuals,  foreign  and  native,  seeking  information  from  all  sources 
open  to  them. 

On  their  return  they  will  report  to  the  Prudential  Committee  the  results  of 
their  investigations  and  inquiries,  with  such  recommendations  as  seem  to  them 
wise  and  expedient. 

Among  the  matters  which  will  claim  attention  are  the  following ; — 

I.  The  condition,  with  present  and  prospective  use,  of  property  which  the 
Board  has  purchased,  and  buildings  which  it  has  erected,  to  aid  in  the  missionary 
work ; and  the  legal  and  moral  rights  of  the  American  Board  in  the  same. 

II.  The  continuation  and  management  of  the  Nurses’  Training  School  and 
Hospital  at  Kyoto,  and  the  desirability  of  Dr.  Berry’s  return  to  his  former  occu- 
pation and  office  in  the  same. 

III.  The  character  of  the  Doshisha  as  a Christian  institution,  cooperation  in 
the  training  of  native  pastors  and  in  the  management  of  the  institution,  and  the 
advisability  of  continuing  any  subsidy  by  the  Board. 


5 


6 


R eport  of  the  Depiitatioii  to  Japan. 


IV.  The  condition  of  the  Kumamoto  Station,  the  status  of  the  mission 
property  there,  and  the  advisability  of  reopening  the  station. 

V.  Best  methods  for  the  future  prosecution  of  the  evangelistic  and  missionary 
work,  together  with  plans  of  cooperation  with  the  Japanese. 

VI.  The  management  and  control  of  the  Kobe  Girls’  College. 

VII.  The  location  and  employment  of  the  different  missionaries. 

VIII.  The  relation  of  education  to  the  evangelistic  work,  and  how  far  the 
Board  should  continue  to  aid  schools  in  Japan. 

IX.  They  are  also  authorized  to  consider  and  act  upon  any  other  matters  or 
questions  of  like  nature  which  may  come  before  them  while  in  the  country. 

In  all  matters  of  reorganization,  of  proposed  changes,  of  new  methods,  and  in 
all  cases  involving  the  time-honored  and  established  principles  and  policy  of  the 
American  Board,  the  Deputation  is  expected  to  make  independent,  wide,  and 
thorough  investigation,  and  report  its  judgment,  with  recommendations,  to  the 
Prudential  Committee,  with  whom  is  final  authority.  If,  however,  it  is  the 
unanimous  opinion  and  judgment  of  the  Deputation  that  immediate  and  formal 
action  should  be  taken  upon  any  question  under  consideration,  the  Deputation 
is  authorized  to  take  such  decisive  and  formal  action,  provided  that  the  vote 
upon  the  action  be  unanimous.  Two  unanimous  votes,  therefore,  shall  be 
essential  to  any  decisive  and  formal  action  : first,  upon  the  necessity  of  imme- 
diate and  decisive  action  ; and  second,  upon  the  question  itself. 

Questions  regarding  the  appropriation  of  money  must  be  referred  back  to  the 
Prudential  Committee,  except  that  funds  already  appropriated  but  not  e.xpended 
may  be  transferred  by  the  Deputation  from  one  department  of  work  to  another. 

In  case  a member  of  the  Deputation,  from  illness  or  other  cause,  is  unable  to 
act,  three  may  exercise  full  power. 

The  Deputation  will  conduct  its  investigations  and  inquiries  guided  by  the  one 
supreme  and  all-controlling  object  of  the  American  Board  in  Japan ; and  it  is 
confidently  expected  and  believed  that  they  will  reach  results  that  will  command 
the  approbation  and  support  of  the  whole  Mission,  and  at  the  same  time  honor 
and  strengthen  the  established  beliefs,  principles,  and  purposes  of  the  American 
Board  the  world  over. 

And  now,  cordially  renewing  our  assurances  of  confidence  in  the  brethren  that 
compose  this  Deputation,  we  devoutly  commend  them  to  Almighty  God,  our 
heavenly  Father,  as  his  children,  and  to  his  kindly  watch  and  care,  by  day  and 
by  night,  on  the  land  and  on  the  sea,  earnestly  beseeching  him  to  defend, 
support,  and  prosper  them  in  all  their  appointed  ways. 

METHODS  OF  INVESTIGATION. 

The  Eastern  members  set  out  on  Monday,  the  second  of  September,  joining 
the  member  from  Chicago  on  the  evening  of  the  third.  Mrs.  Johnson,  one  of 
the  Executive  Committee  of  the  Woman’s  Board  of  the  Interior,  accompanied  her 
husband  and  proved  most  efficient  and  helpful. 

We  sailed  from  San  Francisco  upon  the  steamship  Coptic,  of  the  Occidental 
& Oriental  line,  September  12,  reaching  Yokohama,  via  Honolulu,  September  30, 
and  returned,  sailing  from  Yokohama  on  December  7,  upon  the  steamship 


Report  of  the  Deputation  to  Japa^i. 


7 


China,  of  the  Pacific  Mail  line,  reaching  San  Francisco,  via  Honolulu,  Decem- 
ber 24.  We  were  absent  from  home  about  four  months,  seventy  days  of  which 
were  spent  in  going  and  coming  and  in  actual  travel  in  Japan.  Many  hours  of 
these  days  of  travel  were  passed  in  conference  and  prayer  over  the  important 
questions  which  were  committed  to  us. 

In  accordance  with  the  letter  of  instructions,  information  was  sought  in  Japan 
from  all  available  sources.  Through  special  letters  of  introduction,  the  services 
of  our  own  diplomatic  representatives  were  freely  accorded.  Also,  we  were 
cordially  received  and  much  aided  by  His  Excellency,  Marijuis  Saionji,  the  Act- 
ing Minister  of  Foreign  Affairs  for  Japan  and  Minister  of  Education  ; by  Mr. 
Makino,  the  Vice-Minister  of  Education;  Mr.  Dennison,  chief  adviser  to  the 
Minister  of  Foreign  .\ffairs  ; Captain  Brinkley,  editor  and  manager  of  the  Japan 
Mail ; Mr.  Curtis,  editor  and  manager  of  the  Kobe  Herald ; Professor  Sharp, 
for  ten  years  professor  in  Government  Colleges  in  Japan  ; Bishop  Nicholai,  of  the 
Greek  Church  ; Bishop  Bickersteth,  of  the  Church  of  England  ; Dr.  Verbeck,  of 
the  Reformed  Church  ; and  by  several  officers  and  professors  in  the  Imperial 
University  at  Tokyo.  Space  will  permit  the  mention  of  the  names  of  but  very 
few  of  those  who  freely  and  ably  aided  the  Deputation  in  its  attempt  to  under- 
stand the  general  condition  in  Japan  as  related  to  the  special  work  of  the  Ameri- 
can Board.  Cordial  expressions  of  gratitude  are  due  to  between  forty  and  fifty  of 
the  missionaries  of  the  various  Presbyterian  and  Reformed  Boards,  the  different 
branches  of  the  Methodist  work,  the  Baptist  Boards,  the  Episcopal  bodies  repre- 
senting both  England  and  America,  the  Evangelical  Protestant  Missionary 
Society  of  Germany  and  Switzerland,  as  well  as  representatives  of  the  various 
Bible  and  Tract  societies  doing  work  in  Japan,  — all  of  whom  met  the  Deputa- 
tion most  cordially  and  aided  it  materially.  Twelve  receptions  were  given  the 
Deputation,  nine  of  which  were  by  the  Japanese.  The  different  members  of  the 
Deputation  gave,  in  the  aggregate,  sixty-five  addresses  and  sermons. 

In  addition  to  those  above  mentioned,  we  met  in  conference  with  154 
Japanese,  some  of  whom  are  connected  with  the  work  of  other  missionary  boards, 
some  in  government  employ,  and  some  in  independent  Christian  work.  We 
held  repeated  conferences  with  the  Trustees  and  Faculty  of  the  Doshisha,  with 
a special  committee  representing  the  Kumi-ai  churches  and  the  Japanese  Home 
Missionary  Society,  with  pastors,  evangelists,  teachers,  and  workers  in  the 
Kumi-ai  body,  from  Sendai  on  the  north  to  the  island  of  Kiushiu  on  the  south, 
and  Tottori  on  the  west.  Copious  notes  have  been  kept  of  most  of  these 
conferences. 

In  order  to  secure  the  necessary  information  regarding  the  needs  of  the 
country  and  the  present  condition  of  the  work,  we  visited  Yokohama,  Tokyo, 
Maebashi,  Sendai,  Kyoto,  Osaka,  Kobe,  Tottori,  Okayama,  Hiroshima,  Kuma- 
moto, Nara,  Otsu,  and  Kogato.  Some  200  hours  were  passed  in  formal  con- 
ference with  others,  and  fully  as  many  more  in  informal  conferences,  besides 
many  meetings  among  ourselves  to  discuss  and  arrange  material  obtained.  It  is 
needless  to  add  that  there  were  constant  and  repeated  conferences  with  the 
various  missionaries  of  our  own  Board  now  in  Japan,  besides  conferring  in  mis- 
sion meeting  for  four  days  just  before  coming  away. 

In  order  to  accomplish  the  above,  the  Deputation  traveled  in  Japan  by  rail  over 


8 


Rep07't  of  the  Depiitatio7i  to  Japan. 


1,500  miles,  by  water  875  miles,  and  by  jinrikisha  over  300  miles  ; this  in  addi- 
tion to  the  nearly  13,000  miles  of  water  and  7,400  miles  of  railroad  travel 
involved  in  getting  to  and  from  the  field  of  investigation. 

This  part  of  the  report  is  essential  to  show  that  your  Deputation  was  not 
unmindful  of  its  instructions,  and  that  it  has  sought  light  from  all  sources  open 
to  it,  while  it  has  not  desired  to  spare  its  own  strength  or  seek  its  own  comfort 
in  these  investigations.  It  is  the  unanimous  opinion  of  the  Deputation  that  little 
more  could  have  been  accomplished  by  a prolonged  stay  in  Japan,  except  to 
visit  four  remaining  stations,  but  about  which  no  problems  centred.  Not  that 
all  of  the  conditions  were  thoroughly  understood  and  all  the  facts  comprehended, 
for  that  would  be  impossible  in  a country  so  full  of  change  and  uncertainty ; but 
the  greater  part  of  the  field  of  our  Board  had  been  traversed,  and  the  highest 
authorities  widely  consulted,  until  it  seemed  of  little  avail  to  prosecute  the 
investigations  farther. 

In  this  report  we  have  not  attempted  to  give  anything  of  the  history  of  the 
Board’s  work  in  Japan  nor  any  of  the  statistics  of  the  same.  All  these  are 
included  in  “A  Chapter  of  Mission  History  in  Modern  Japan,”  which  was 
published  by  our  Mission  last  year. 

In  submitting  this  report  we  wish  to  emphasize  the  necessity  of  looking  at  this 
empire  and  the  mission  work  therein  in  the  light  of  its  history,  its  national 
characteristics,  and  its  present  and  future  importance. 

The  conclusions  to  which  we  have  come  and  the  recommendations  which  we 
submit  have  been  decided  upon  with  marked  unanimity,  the  mind  of  each  mem- 
ber of  the  Deputation  coming  to  the  same  conclusion  from  the  independent  study 
of  the  facts  and  conditions. 

With  this  preface  your  Deputation  submits  the  following  report,  answering  in 
detail  to  the  letter  of  instructions  given  it. 

I.  PROPERTY. 

'I'he  Board  owns  both  houses  and  land  in  Kobe  and  Osaka,  besides  leasing 
other  land  in  the  former  place  ; it  also  holds  two  houses  in  Niigata,  these  being 
treaty  ports  where  foreigners  are  allowed  to  either  own  or  rent  real  estate. 

After  the  year  1900,  when  the  revised  treaty  with  the  United  States  becomes 
operative,  the  Board  will  be  able  to  lease  land,  upon  which  it  can  erect  buildings 
of  its  own,  in  any  part  of  the  empire  for  a term  of  years  the  length  of  which 
has  not  yet  been  determined,  but  probably  for  either  thirty  or  fifty  years,  with  the 
privilege  of  successive  renewals  which  will  practically  constitute  a perpetual  lease. 

At  present  the  laws  of  Japan  prohibit  the  owning  or  leasing  of  real  estate  by 
foreigners,  except  in  the  treaty  ports.  This  is  the  unanimous  testimony  of  an 
eminent  Japanese  lawyer,  an  American  holding  a high  position  in  the  Imperial 
government,  missionaries  of  various  Boards,  and  of  Japanese  citizens  of  whom 
inquiries  have  been  made. 

In  consequence  of  this  proliibition,  all  such  property  purchased  by  the  differ- 
ent Mission  Boards,  including  our  own,  has  been  held,  as  we  believe,  in  the 
name  of  Japanese,  either  as  individuals  or  trustees.  Consequently  those  who 
have  furnished  the  funds  for  the  purchase  have  had  no  legal  claim  upon  the 


Report  of  the  Deputation  to  Japan. 


9 


property;  yet  the  Japanese  Christians  in  whose  name  the  property  of  the  Board 
was  placed  were  men  of  such  integrity  that,  with  two  exceptions,  it  has  suffered 
no  loss  through  misplaced  confidence. 

It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  this  method  of  holding  property  was  not 
adopted  for  the  personal  advantage  of  the  missionaries,  nor  for  the  pecuniary  or 
any  other  gain  which  might  accrue  to  the  Missionary  Boards.  It  was  solely  for 
the  purpose  of  prosecuting  in  the  most  effective  way  their  benevolent  work  for 
the  Japanese.  The  American  Board  was  thus  enabled  to  furnish  houses  for  its 
missionaries  adapted  to  their  needs,  as  well  as  buildings  for  school  purposes, 
which  could  not  otherwise  have  been  provided  except  by  outright  gifts  of  the 
same  to  the  Japanese.  And  this  was  done,  as  we  understand,  with  the  full, 
though  unofficial,  knowledge  of  the  Japanese  authorities. 

This  arrangement  for  a compliance  with  the  law  was  satisfactory  to  all  parties 
until  the'political  campaign  of  1893,  when  one  of  the  party  issues  related  to  a 
more  strict  enforcement  of  the  treaties  between  the  Japanese  and  other  govern- 
ments, especially  as  to  the  nominal  ownership  of  real  estate  in  other  than  treaty 
ports.  Holders  of  property  for  foreigners  were  publicly  denounced  as  lacking 
in  patriotism  and  were  otherwise  censured,  thus  causing  considerable  uneasiness 
to  those  who  were  holding  such  property.  This  feeling  was  greatly  increased  in 
the  autumn  of  that  year  by  the  introduction  in  the  Imperial  Diet  of  a bill  impos- 
ing severe  penalties  upon  Japanese  holding  real  estate  for  foreigners. 

This  so  much  excited  the  Christians,  who  thus  far  had  willingly  held  the 
property  for  the  Board,  that  they  appealed  to  the  missionaries  to  be  relieved  of 
it,  and  the  Mission,  with  the  approval  of  the  Prudential  Committee,  authorized 
the  transfer  of  the  property  as  follows,  namely  : — 

(1)  d'hat  at  Matsuyama,  to  the  Trustees  of  the  Girls’  School  at  that  place, 
receiving  a written  agreement,  signed  by  them,  that  the  Board  should  have  the 
use  of  the  same  for  its  missionaries  for  the  period  of  thirty  years. 

(2)  The  interest  of  the  Board  in  the  land  at  Osaka  connected  with  the 
Bai-kwa  Girls’  School,  to  the  Trustees  of  that  school. 

{3)  And  the  remaining  real  estate  of  the  Board  in  Japan  outside  the  treaty 
ports,  with  the  exception  of  that  in  Kyoto  and  Kumamoto,  was  given  to  the 
Trustees  of  the  Doshisha  for  the  endowment  of  a theological  department 
(except  that  in  Tokyo,  in  the  transfer  of  which  by  mistake  the  collegiate  depart- 
ment was  mentioned)  upon  the  following  conditions,  namely:  — 

The  Board  to  have  the  use  of  all  the  property  for  the  term  of  thirty  years, 
paying  therefor  an  annual  nominal  rent  of  three  per  cent,  upon  the  government 
valuation,  which  is  much  below  the  actual  value,  the  Board  paying  for  all  repairs 
and  the  Trustees  paying  the  taxes.  An  amount  equal  to  this  rent  is  to  be 
deducted  from  the  annual  subsidy  of  the  Board  to  the  Doshisha  so  tong  as  that 
may  be  granted.  The  Trustees  are,  at  the  request  of  the  Mission,  to  sell  any  of 
the  property,  and  re-invest  the  proceeds  in  any  other  place  in  Japan  desired  by 
the  Mission.  The  active  financial  member  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  states  this 
to  be  his  understanding  of  the  agreement,  therefore  it  is  improbable  any 
difference  regarding  its  interpretation  will  arise  in  the  future. 

The  Board  aided  financially  in  the  founding  of  the  Doshisha;  it  has  also  given 
considerable  sums  to  the  Trustees  from  time  to  time  for  the  purchase  of  land  and 


lO  Report  of  the  Deptitatio7i  to  Japa7i. 

erection  of  buildings  for  school  purposes  in  connection  with  the  Doshisha.  All 
of  these  gifts  were  made  with  the  implied  understanding,  if  not  the  distinct  state- 
ment, that  the  school  was  to  be  maintained  as  a Christian  institution. 

The  Board  has  purchased  at  various  times  lots  of  land  in  Kyoto,  upon  which 
it  has  built  nine  houses  for  the  use  of  its  missionaries.  As  neither  the  Board  nor 
the  missionaries  could  hold  such  property,  we  are  informed  the  title  to  it  was 
taken  in  the  name  of  Dr.  Neesima  and  several  other  persons,  all  of  whom,  we 
believe,  fully  understood  they  were  but  the  nominal  owners. 

After  the  Doshisha  Company  was  organized  and  a Board  of  Trustees  appointed, 
and  some  time  previous  to  the  death  of  Dr.  Neesima,  which  occurred  in  1890, 
all  of  this  property  was  transferred  to  the  Trustees.  This  transfer  was  made 
solely  for  the  purpose  of  ensuring  its  safety,  since  while  held  in  the  name  of  indi- 
viduals it  was  liable  to  be  seized  for  their  private  debts,  and  also  to  avoid  contro- 
versy with  the  heirs  of  any  who  might  die. 

After  the  transfer  there  was  no  change  in  the  management  of  the  property  and 
the  missionaries  continued  to  occupy,  care  for,  and  manage  the  houses ; rent  such 
as  were  temporarily  vacant,  collect  and  use  the  rentals,  etc.,  the  same  as  before ; 
and  there  was  nothing  whatever  either  said  or  done  by  any  one,  so  far  as  we  can 
learn,  previous  to  May  31,  1893,  to  indicate  that  their  ownership  was  considered 
by  the  Trustees  as  any  different  from  that  of  the  individuals  who  transferred  the 
property  to  them,  and  that  it  was  other  than  merely  nominal.  A Committee  of 
the  Mission  appointed  to  arrange  for  the  transfer  of  the  Board’s  property  then 
held  by  individuals,  which  was  negotiating  with  the  Trustees  concerning  the  terms 
upon  which  the  latter  would  accept  the  property,  received  a communication  under 
date  of  May  31,  1893,  from  the  President  of  the  Trustees,  containing  a copy  of 
two  resolutions  passed  by  the  Trustees  at  a meeting  held  that  day;  one  related  to 
the  transfer  of  the  property  under  discussion,  and  the  other  read  as  follows, 
namely  : “ .‘\lthough  while  the  work  of  the  Doshisha  has  been  carried  on  hitherto 
largely  through  the  aid  of  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.,  especially  such  being  the  case  with 
reference  to  the  buying  of  land  and  the  buildings,  the  Trustees  do  not  recognize 
that  property  as  subject  to  any  condition  in  regard  to  its  present  use.  Yet,  as 
we  do  not  intend  to  prove  disloyal  to  the  goodwill  of  the  Board,  it  is  our  inten- 
tion not  to  change  the  mode  of  the  use  to  which  it  is  to  be  placed  so  long  as  we 
recognize  that  there  are  the  same  needs  for  such  uses  as  at  first.” 

The  Trustees  state  that  this  resolution  refers  to  the  land  and  nine  houses  in 
Kyoto,  although  there  is  nothing  in  the  resolution  to  indicate  that  it  did  not 
refer  to  the  money  given  by  the  Board  to  the  Doshisha  for  the  purchase  of  land 
and  erection  of  buildings  for  school  purposes  ; and  their  claim  of  ownership  of 
this  property,  free  from  any  conditions  whatever,  is  based,  as  we  understand, 
upon,  first,  that  the  claim  thus  made  in  the  resolution  was  not  denied  by  the 
Committee  of  the  Mission,  who,  being  in  the  midst  of  negotiations  with  the 
Trustees  for  the  transfer  of  property  outside  of  Kyoto,  made  no  reply  whatever ; 
and,  second,  to  letters  purporting  to  have  been  written  by  Dr.  Neesima,  dated 
before  the  most  of  the  land  had  been  purchased  or  the  houses  built. 

It  should  be  stated  that  but  few  of  the  present  'I’rustees  who  also  held  the 
office  in  1893,  were  members  of  the  Board  at  the  time  this  property  was  trans- 
ferred to  it. 


Report  of  the  Deputation  to  Japan. 


1 1 

Many  conferences  were  held  by  the  Deputation  with  the  Trustee  who  was 
authorized  by  the  Board  of  Trustees  to  negotiate  with  us  regarding  all  matters 
relating  to  property,  the  object  of  which  was  to  endeavor  to  secure  an  agreement 
on  condition  of  our  relinquishing  all  claims  to  this  property  whereby  the  free  use 
of  it  should  be  given  the  Board  for  a term  of  years  for  the  residence  of  its 
missionaries. 

All  attempts  to  secure  such  an  agreement  failing,  a letter  under  date  of 
November  30,  1895,  was  addressed  by  the  Deputation  to  the  President  and 
Trustees  of  the  Doshisha,  of  which  the  following  is  a copy,  namely  : — 

“ During  the  past  few  weeks  we  have  been  in  conference  with  you  concerning 
the  missionary  houses  in  Kyoto  which  were  erected  by  the  American  Board  for 
the  use  of  its  missionaries. 

“ We  have  been  unable  to  find  any  evidence,  either  written  or  oral,  indicating 
that  the  Doshisha  was  to  hold  this  property  for  any  other  purpose.  AVe  exceed- 
ingly regret  that  we  have  been  unable  to  come  to  an  agreement. 

“ Therefore,  without  waiving  our  moral  right  to  the  property,  under  the  circum- 
stances, nothing  remains  for  us  at  present  except  to  say  we  must  now  trust  to 
the  sense  of  honor  which  we  are  assured  is  the  pride  of  every  Japanese. 

“ AAT  cannot  believe  that  you  will  think  of  asking  rent  from  the  Board  for  the 
missionary  houses  in  Kyoto,  when  the  land  was  purchased  and  the  houses  were 
paid  for  entirely  out  of  the  treasury  of  the  Board. 

“ For  you  to  do  that,  we  believe  that  both  you  and  all  your  countrymen  would 
hold  to  be  a stain  upon  the  good  name  of  the  Doshisha. 

“ We  have  nothing  further  to  say  except  that  we  must  now  trust  to  your  honor 
as  Christians  and  Japanese. 

“ Assuring  you  of  our  best  wishes  for  the  success  of  the  Doshisha,  we  remain, 
etc.” 

A letter  dated  December  4,  1895,  addressed  to  the  Deputation  and  signed 
by  President  Kozaki,  “ in  behalf  of  the  Standing  Committee  of  the  Doshisha 
Trustees,”  contains  a reply  of  which  the  following  is  a copy,  namely  : — 

“ Your  letter  dated  November  30,  1895,  was  duly  acknowledged.  AVe  regret 
very  much  that  we  could  not  convince  you  of  our  generous  spirit  with  which  we 
have  endeavored  to  settle  the  question  concerning  the  houses  in  Kyoto  built  for 
foreign  teachers,  and  thus  we  have  been  unable  to  come  to  any  agreement  with 
you. 

“ AATile  we  acknowledge  these  houses  were  built  out  of  the  treasury  of  the 
American  Board,  it  has  been  our  understanding  always  that  they  were  given 
over  to  our  institution  as  the  residences  of  foreign  teachers.  About  three  years 
ago  when  a question  was  brought  up  to  the  Trustees  by  the  committee  of  mis- 
sionaries in  Japan  about  the  condition  under  which  these  houses  were  given,  our 
reply  to  it  was  to  this  effect ; — 

“ ‘Although  while  the  work  of  the  Doshisha  has  been  carried  on  hitherto  largely 
through  the  aid  of  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.,  especially  such  being  the  case  with  refer- 
ence to  the  buying  of  lands  and  the  buildings,  the  Trustees  do  not  recognize  this 
property  as  subject  to  any  condition  in  regard  to  its  present  use.  Yet,  as  we  do 
not  intend  to  prove  disloyal  to  the  goodwill  of  the  Board,  it  is  our  intention 


12 


Report  of  the  Deputation  to  Japati. 


not  to  change  the  mode  of  the  use  to  which  it  is  to  be  placed,  so  long  as  we 
recognize  that  there  are  the  same  needs  for  such  uses  as  at  first.’ 

“ Since  we  have  given  this  reply,  we  have  not  received  any  communication  from 
the  missionaries  or  from  the  Board  intimating  that  you  had  any  other  under- 
standing on  the  subject.  Moreover,  the  Board  has  given  over  to  us  large  num- 
ber of  properties  worth  several  thousand  dollars  lying  outside  of  Kyoto  in  an 
express  approval  of  the  letter  referred  to  above.  If  you  had  any  other  under- 
standing on  this  question,  you  should  have  given  a communication  to  that  effect 
and  should  have  withheld  the  gift  of  those  other  properties  at  that  time.  It  is, 
indeed,  quite  a surprise  to  us  that  you  have  still  such  misunderstanding  on  this 
point. 

“ Now  since  it  is  our  intention  not  to  prove  disloyal  to  the  goodwill  of  the 
donor,  and  so  ‘ not  to  change  the  mode  of  use  to  which  it  is  to  be  placed  so 
long  as  we  recognize  that  there  are  the  same  needs  for  such  uses  as  at  first,’  as 
it  has  been  expressly  said  in  the  letter  quoted  above,  ymu  shall  be  assured  that 
we  will  grant  free  use  of  these  houses  to  all  foreign  teachers  sent  over  by  the 
American  Board,  so  long  as  they  are  in  the  employ  of  our  institution. 

“ We  have  no  evidence,  either  written  or  oral,  that  these  houses  in  Kyoto  were 
built  for  the  use  of  missionaries,  and  it  has  been  always  our  understanding  that 
they  were  given  as  the  residences  of  our  foreign  teachers.  But  as  we  feel  ever 
grateful  for  the  generous  gifts  you  have  bestowed  and  are  s’till  bestowing  to  us,  as 
an  expression  of  our  gratitude  to  the  Board,  we  will  give  free  use  of  a certain 
number  of  those  houses  when  they  are  not  occupied  by  our  foreign  teachers,  for 
the  period  of  a certain  number  of  years,  provided  there  be  no  occasion  in  future 
of  great  financial  stress,  which  endangers  the  very  life  of  our  institution. 

“ We  believe  that  we  have  done  hitherto  nothing  which  gives  to  our  foreign 
teachers  or  missionaries  any  inconvenience  or  embarrassment  concerning  their 
residences  here.  And  we  assure  you  that  we  cannot  think  that  there  will  be  any 
occasion  in  the  future  which  will  give  to  them  any  anxiety  or  trouble  concerning 
their  residences.  The  only  regret  we  have  is  that  we  have  been  unable  to  come 
to  any  satisfactory  understanding  on  this  point.” 

As  the  letter  contained  nothing  which  had  not  been  previously  discussed  at  the 
conferences,  we  simply  acknowledged  its  receipt. 

The  Deputation  advised  the  members  of  the  Kyoto  station  to  submit  to  any 
action  of  the  Trustees  regarding  the  property,  reporting  the  same  to  the  Pruden- 
tial Committee. 

It  is  evident,  therefore,  that  the  status  of  the  nine  missionary  houses  in  Kyoto 
as  related  to  the  Doshisha  and  the  .American  Board  is  the  same  that  it  was  before 
the  Deputation  went  out.  Failing  to  come  to  a mutual  understanding,  nothing 
was  done  in  the  premises.  It  only  remains  to  be  seen  whether  the  Doshisha,  in 
whose  name  the  propeity  is  held,  will  make  any  change  in  the  manner  of  its  use. 

II.  NURSES’  TRAININCx  SCHOOL  AND  HOSPITAL. 

The  Nurses’  Training  School  and  Hospital  at  Kyoto  were  organized  by  Dr. 
J.  C.  Berry,  a missionary  of  our  Board,  in  1885,  through  whose  efforts  they 
have  been  largely  sustained  since  as  a part  of  the  Christian  work  in  that  city. 


Report  of  the  Deputation  to  Japan. 


13 


Money  toward  the  purchase  of  ground  was  contributed  by  Japanese  friends  of 
Kyoto  and  Kobe  and  the  AVoman’s  Board  of  Boston.  The  buildings  were 
erected  by  the  same  Board.  The  Hospital  was  furnished  and  equipped  wholly  at 
the  expense  of  this  Board.  The  same  Board  has  made  an  annual  grant  for  the 
support  of  the  Nurses’  Training  School  and  the  salary  of  Miss  Fraser.  The 
buildings  and  real  estate  are  held  in  the  name  of  the  Doshisha,  because  the 
Mission  Board  can  hold  no  property  in  Kyoto.  Dr.  Berry’s  salary  has  been  paid 
by  the  American  Board,  and  his  earnings  through  his  medical  practice  have  gone 
to  sustain  the  general  work  of  the  Hospita'  and  for  its  enlargement.  AA^hen  these 
funds  were  given  and  the  work  was  undertaken  by  Dr.  Berry,  it  was  with  the 
understanding  that  it  should  be  for  the  support  of  an  institution  which  should  be 
mutually  conducted  by  the  Board  and  the  Doshisha  Company  : — 

First,  for  the  training  of  Christian  nurses ; and 

Second,  for  humanitarian  work,  that  evangelistic  ends  might  be  subserved. 

The  influence  of  the  entire  institution  under  Dr.  Berry  and  Miss  Fraser,  with 
their  associates,  has  been  preeminently  Christian,  and  is  worthy  the  highest 
commendation.  Dr.  Berry,  up  to  his  departure  for  the  United  States  in  the  fall 
of  1893  for  his  furlough,  was  the  managing  director  of  both  the  hospital  and 
training  school,  acting  in  conjunction  with  a hospital  standing  committee 
composed  of  Japanese  and  missionaries,  all  in  accordance  with  the  mutual  under- 
standing of  both  parties.  AA'hile  Dr.  Berry  was  in  the  United  States  it  was 
learned  that  the  Japanese  members  of  the  hospital  committee,  without  consulta- 
tion with  Dr.  Berry  or  the  Board  or  the  Mission,  or  even  the  standing  committee 
of  the  hospital,  decided  to  terminate  this  mutual  relation.  They  voted  that  if 
Dr.  Berry  returned  he  should  not  hold  his  former  position  as  director,  but  that  a 
Japanese  should  occupy  the  place,  and  Dr.  Berry  hold  the  position  of  adviser. 
Later  action  upon  the  part  of  the  Japanese  members  of  the  standing  committee 
of  the  Doshisha  Trustees  was  to  the  effect  that,  “ while  it  is  desirable  to  ask 
Dr.  Berry  to  return  to  Japan,  it  is  also  the  Trustees’  desire  to  manage  the 
hospital  and  nurses’  school  in  the  same  way  as  the  other  departments  of  the 
Doshisha.”  In  a still  later  action  the  Trustees  ask  him  to  return  “ in  his  former 
capacity  and  relation,”  but  restating  the  intention  of  that  body  to  manage  the 
hospital  in  the  same  way  as  its  other  schools.  It  is  necessary  to  add  that  the 
name  of  the  Nurses’  Training  School  is  the  Kyoto  Nurses’  School,  while  the 
hospital  bears  the  name  Doshisha.  This  name  was  given  by  the  missionaries,  in 
order  to  present  to  the  people  a phase  of  applied  Christianity  in  connection  with 
the  educational  institution  which  bore  that  name. 

Still  later,  the  Trustees  of  the  Doshisha  took  the  matter  from  the  hands  of  the 
standing  committee  and  decided  as  follows  : — 

1.  To  ask  the  foreign  (missionary)  members  of  the  (standing  hospital)  Com- 
mittee to  give  definite  answer  whether  they  are  willing  to  continue  the  work 
under  full  control  of  the  Doshisha  Trustees  or  not. 

2.  If  their  answer  is  negative,  to  hand  over  the  whole  work  entirely  to  their 
care,  allowing  the  time  to  make  full  arrangements,  until  April,  1896. 

3.  In  case  they  do  not  take  up  the  work  within  the  said  period,  to  take  full 
responsibility  of  the  work  by  the  Trustees  and  do  as  they  please.  And  in  every 
circumstance  the  Trustees  cannot  continue  the  work  in  the  future,  they  will  not 


14 


Report  of  the  Deputation  to  Japan. 


appropriate  any  of  the  property  belonging  to  the  Hospital  and  Nurses’  Training 
School  to  any  other  work,  but  endeavor  to  return  all  things  to  original  donors  as 
far  as  possible. 

This  is  the  condition  of  things  found  by  the  Deputation  upon  its  arrival  in 
Kyoto.  The  hospital  and  school  are  continuing  their  work  under  Japanese 
physicians,  Dr.  Berry’s  medical  associates,  and  Miss  Fraser,  the  superintendent  of 
the  Nurses’  Training  School  and  matron  of  the  Hospital.  While  the  Doshisha 
Trustees  invite  Dr.  Berry  back  to  be  at  the  head  of  the  medical  work,  they  frankly 
say  they  plan  to  have  a Japanese  in  that  position,  and  expect  to  appoint  one  to 
the  place  as  soon  as  a suitable  man  can  be  found.  They  also  plan  to  put  a 
Japanese  in  Miss  Fraser’s  place. 

There  are  about  twelve  hospitals  now  in  the  city  and  two  nurses’  training 
schools,  and  although  they  are  not  distinctively  Christian  institutions,  they  are  meet- 
ing in  a measure  the  medical  needs  of  the  people.  These  institutions  are  private 
hospitals  with  one  exception,  and  conducted  chiefly  for  financial  gain.  Owing, 
therefore,  to  these  things  and  the  difficulty  of  harmonizing  the  present  desires  of 
the  Doshisha,  and  the  motives  prompting  them,  with  conditions  necessary  for 
harmonious  and  successful  cooperation,  we  hesitate  to  recommend  Dr.  Berry’s 
return  to  Japan  or  the  continuance  of  Hospital  or  Nurses’  Training  School  work, 
by  the  Board  in  Kyoto,  beyond  what  may  be  necessary  to  finish  with  the  present 
class  of  nurses  during  the  year  1896.  We  recommend  that  the  Prudential  Com- 
mittee endorse  the  third  proposition  of  the  Doshisha  Trustees  as  quoted  above, 
which  pledges  the  return  of  the  property  to  the  donors  in  case  the  hospital  and 
school  are  not  successfully  continued  by  the  Doshisha. 

We  come  most  reluctantly  to  this  conclusion  because  of  the  excellent  work 
Dr.  Berry  has  done  for  the  cause  of  Christ  in  Japan  during  his  connection  with 
the  Board  for  twenty-three  years,  and  because  of  the  earnest  wish  of  the  Mission 
and  many  leading  Japanese  that  he  return  and  continue  his  labors  with  them, 
coupled  with  his  superior  medical  skill,  which  has  won  for  him  an  enviable  repu- 
tation among  all  classes  there. 


HI.  THE  DOSHISH.A. 

In  making  inquiry  with  reference  to  the  third  point  of  our  instructions,  inter- 
views were  had  with  the  Trustees  and  Faculty  of  the  University,  with  pastors 
and  evangelists  of  the  Kumi-ai  churches  in  different  parts  of  Japan,  with  mis- 
sionaries of  our  own  and  of  other  Boards,  as  well  as  with  such  other  individuals 
as  we  had  reason  to  believe  were  acquainted  with  the  history,  work,  and  present 
influence  of  the  Doshisha.  There  was  marked  concurrence  in  the  opinion  that 
a change  had  taken  place  in  the  spirit  of  the  institution.  It  was  quite  generally 
affirmed  that  the  Christian  character  and  spiritual  tone  of  the  University  are  far 
less  pronounced  than  formerly.  After  several  weeks  spent  in  making  ourselves 
acquainted  with  this  and  allied  subjects,  we  asked  an  interview  with  the  Board  of 
Trustees  of  the  Doshisha,  which  interview  was  very  readily  granted.  Indeed, 
we  had  been  greeted  on  reaching  Japan  with  a communication  from  the  Trustees, 
laying  the  affairs  of  the  institution  before  us  and  urgently  asking  us  to  visit  its 
recitation  halls  and  to  make  the  most  thorough  acquaintance  with  its  work.  We 


Report  of  tJie  Deputation  to  Japan. 


15 


spent  an  afternoon  in  free  conversation  with  them  on  the  Christian  character  and 
influence  of  the  school,  and  were  then  told  that  the  President  and  one  other 
Trustee  had  been  named  as  a special  committee  with  full  power  to  have  any 
further  conference  with  us  on  the  matter.  One  subsequent  conference  was  held 
with  the  above-mentioned  committee  of  the  Trustees,  with  results  so  definite 
that  we  did  not  ask  them  again  to  meet  us  on  that  subject.  Previous  conversa- 
tions with  many  persons  had  prepared  us  for  their  unusual  use  of  the  word 
“Christianity”  in  the  Constitution  of  the  Doshisha,  as  defining  the  character  of 
the  institution.  The  clause  in  the  Constitution  referred  to  is  ; “ Christianity  is  the 
foundation  of  the  moral  education  promoted  by  this  Company  [Doshisha].”  We 
asked  if  they  would  affirm  as  among  the  beliefs  for  which  the  Doshisha  stood  in 
Japan,  the  personality  of  God,  the  divinity  of  Christ,  and  the  futiire  life.  They 
declared  that  they  could  not.  WTile  as  individuals  they  could  affirm  their 
acceptance  of  these  beliefs,  as  Trustees  they  could  not  affirm  fhem,  since  dif- 
ferences existed  among  Christians  on  these  points,  and  they  must  not  ally  them- 
selves with  any  party.  When  asked  if  they  would  accept  the  creed  of  the  Kumi-ai 
churches  in  definition  of  the  sense  in  which  they  used  the  word  Christian,  they 
declined,  saying  that  they  would  thus  identify  themselves  with  a single  denomina- 
tion. When  urged  at  two  long  conferences  to  make  some  statement,  however 
brief,  in  language  of  their  own,  of  what  they  meant  by  “ Christianity,”  since  the 
word  did  not  in  their  minds  involve  the  above-named  beliefs,  they  declined. 
They  said  it  was  not  necessary  ; that  having  declared  their  purpose  to  maintain 
a Christian  institution  they  should  be  trusted  so  to  do  ; that  to  affirm  the  above- 
named  beliefs  would  narrow  the  basis  of  the  University,  would  cause  the  resigna- 
tion of  professors  whose  services  they  did  not  wish  to  lose,  would  repel  students 
who  were  encouraged  now  to  enter  the  school  by  its  spirit  of  free  inquiry.  As 
evidence  that  this  determination  to  make  no  further  statement  was  a result  of 
deliberation,  one  Trustee  said  that  he  had  made  an  effort  at  one  time  to  have  the 
word  “ Evangelical  ” inserted  before  “ Christianity  ” in  the  Constitution,  but  he 
had  not  succeeded,  the  Trustees  declining  thus  to  narrow  the  basis  of  the  Uni- 
versity. It  was  carefully  explained  to  the  Trustees  that  the  American  churches 
which  contributed  to  the  treasury  of  the  Board,  while  not  making  a test  of  any 
creed,  could  hardly  hold  to  be  Christian  those  persons  or  institutions  which 
deliberately  refused  to  declare  belief  in  a personal  God  and  in  the  divinity  of 
Jesus  Christ,  in  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  and  in  the  supernatural  elements  of 
Christianity.  The  reply  was  that  the  whole  subject  had  been  a matter  of  thought 
with  them ; that  theological  opinion  in  Japan  was  in  a formative  state,  and  beliefs 
were  unsettled  ■,  that  for  that  reason  and  because  it  would  be  disastrous  to  them 
to  act  now  under  appearance  of  compulsion,  they  could  make  no  statement  what- 
ever, except  that  they  should  maintain  a Christian  University.  They  said  they 
had  done  the  best  possible  under  the  circumstances ; that  though  there  were 
some  professors  in  the  University  who  were  not  Christians,  effort  would  be  made 
as  changes  occurred,  to  secure  such  professors  only  as  would  be  in  harmony  with 
the  Christian  spirit  of  the  institution. 

Careful  inquiry  showed  but  a small  number  of  pastors  in  the  Kumi-ai  churches, 
who  hold  such  an  agnostic  position  in  regard  to  the  fundamental  truths  of  Chris- 
tianity, concerning  which  the  Doshisha  Trustees  were  unwilling  to  speak.  The 


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Report  of  the  Deputation  to  Japan. 


mass  of  pastors  and  evangelists  and  church  members  seemed  not  only  not  to 
sympathize  with  this  “new  theology,”  as  it  was  called  by  them,  but  to  be  sad- 
dened by  it,  and  they  expressed  the  opinion  that  it  was  a phase  of  thought  that 
would  soon  pass  away.  Some  prominent  and  leading  pastors  had  preached  such 
negations  to  diminishing  congregations,  but  the  testimony  was  general  that  a 
change  for  the  better  had  already  begun.  One  evidence  was  the  meeting  of 
pastors  of  the  Kumi-ai  churches  at  Nara,  where  the  spiritual  fervor  rose  to  a very 
high  point,  and  in  the  earnest  type  of  meetings  held  after  that  gathering  in  differ- 
ent parts  of  the  empire,  very  much  like  the  old  “ three  days’  meeting,”  at  one 
time  so  common  and  so  helpful  in  New  England.  The  Doshisha,  while  in  a 
sense  at  the  head  of  the  Kumi-ai  churches,  still  cannot  fail  ultimately  to  have  its 
doctrinal  posiuons  determined  by  them.  At  present  desiring  to  be  abreast  with, 
if  not  in  advance  of,  “ Christian  scholarship,”  it  refuses  to  make  declaration  of 
these  truths  which  are  essential  to  the  very  existence  of  Christianity. 

Much  may  be  said  in  explanation  of  this  strange  situation.  The  Doshisha  is, 
and  from  its  beginning  has  been,  a Japanese  institution.  It  was  founded  by  a 
citizen  of  Japan.  Its  Trustees  are  and  must  be,  under  the  laws  of  the  empire, 
citizens  of  Japan.  While  most  of  the  money  for  its  erection  and  maintenance 
has  come  from  America,  it  has  not  failed  to  have  support  and  considerable  gifts 
from  the  Japanese.  In  the  rising  of  the  national  spirit  there  has  come  a great 
sensitiveness  on  the  part  of  many  in  close  relations  to  the  University  lest  it 
should  seem  too  much  controlled  by  foreign  influence.  To  have  such  appear- 
ance might  rob  it  of  many  students.  .Already  its  numbers  have  been  much 
diminished  by  the  fact  that  educational  advantages  furnished  by  the  government 
have  greatly  increased.  The  system  of  education  in  the  empire  is  admirable, 
and  students  pass  by  graduation  from  one  series  of  schools  to  another  to  the 
post-graduate  course  of  the  University.  Government  positions  are  now  more 
freely  open  to  those  who  have  passed  through  the  government  schools. 

These  disadvantages  under  which  the  Doshisha  labors  are  serious  enough  to 
make  those  who  manage  its  affairs  anxious  not  to  increase  their  number  by 
rousing  any  suspicion  of  foreign  control,  or  by  giving  the  impression  that  any 
limitation  is  put  to  free  inquiry  and  belief.  Earnest  effort  was  made  to  show 
that  the  Doshisha  had  no  reason  for  existence,  in  the  purpose  of  its  revered 
founder,  or  in  the  minds  of  its  supporters  in  .America,  and  also  with  many  in 
Japan,  save  as  a Christian  University,  to  give  a Christian  education  and  to  extend 
the  knowledge  and  acceptance  of  Christianity.  To  deny  or  to  fail  to  affirm  those 
truths,  without  which  Christianity  is  but  a misleading  name,  is  disloyal  to  the 
spirit  in  which  the  Doshisha  was  founded  and  is  a perversion  of  funds  given  for 
the  furtherance  of  the  gospel.  But  the  answer  was  always  the  same  — that  no 
further  statement  would  be  made  than  that  the  Doshisha  is  a Christian  institution 
in  the  sense  that  it  would  continuously  seek  to  establish  and  nourish  Christlike 
character. 

Full  force  should  be  given  to  the  facts  that  the  Bible  has  place  in  the  cur- 
riculum of  the  University  ; that  professors  and  students  are  required  to  attend 
daily  service  in  the  chapel  ; that  the  President,  who  is  also  pastor  of  the  College 
church,  preaches  evangelical  and  fervent  discourses  ; that  he  declares  his  pur- 
pose to  resign  his  office  whenever  the  University  ceases  to  stand  for  evangelical 


Report  of  the  Deputation  to  Japan. 


17 


Christianity;  and  that  the  Trustees,  through  their  chief  financial  official,  pledge 
themselves  that  should  the  Doshisha,  for  any  reason,  cease  to  be  a Christian 
educational  institution,  the  property  shall  be  sold  and  the  proceeds  returned  to 
the  donors. 

And  it  should  also  be  borne  in  mind  that  there  is  not  a Japanese  in  the 
Doshisha,  or  in  the  empire,  twenty-five  years  of  age,  whose  early  years  were  under 
the  influence  of  Christian  thought  and  training.  It  would  therefore  be  very 
strange  if  their  subsequent  growth  should  be  along  the  same  lines  with  those  who 
knew  no  other  influence  than  that  which  results  from  Christian  ancestry  and 
Christian  surroundings.  Equally  strange  would  it  be  if  they  could  be  wholly 
understood,  or  if  their  true  relation  to  Christianity  could  be  accurately  measured 
by  testing  their  utterances  by  the  same  standards  that  would  apply  in  Christian 
lands. 

We  recommend  : — 

First,  that  for  the  present  the  teachers  supplied  to  the  Doshisha  by  the  Board 
be  continued,  if  desired  by  the  Trustees. 

Second,  that  for  the  present,  and  while  the  able  and  devoted  men  sent  by  the 
Board  are  connected  with  the  theological  department,  our  cooperation  with  the 
Doshisha  in  the  training  of  pastors  and  evangelists  be  continued. 

Third,  that  after  the  reduced  appropriation  asked  by  the  Mission  for  the 
Doshisha  for  the  year  1896  is  paid,  the  sum  given  by  the  Board  to  the  University 
be  reduced  annually,  so  as  to  cease  at  the  end  of  the  year  1898. 

Just  before  leaving  the  country,  we  received  the  following  letter  from  the 
Faculty  of  the  Doshisha,  and  signed  by  President  Kozaki  “ on  behalf  of  the 
members  of  the  Doshisha  Faculty,”  dated  Kyoto,  December  3,  1895  : — 

“ To  the  Members  of  Deputation  of  the  American  Board  : Gentlemen,  — On 
the  occasion  of  your  visit  to  our  University,  we,  the  members  of  the  Doshisha 
Faculty,  take  liberty  to  express  our  thanks  for  the  generous  assistance  which  your 
Board  has  been  contributing  to  our  institution.  Our  University  has  had  most 
friendly  relations  with  your  Board,  founded  on  a broad  and  non-sectarian  basis, 
and  we  believe  it  was  largely  through  your  assistance  that  our  institution  has 
grown  up  from  a little  English  school  to  its  present  magnitude.  During  the 
twenty  years  of  its  existence  and  growth,  it  has  made  a powerful  impression 
upon  our  Society,  and  its  influence  is  now  being  appreciated,  not  only  among 
our  Christian  churches,  but,  we  are  glad  to  say,  in  the  nation  at  large.  For  this 
success,  no  small  share  is  due  to  the  foreign  members  of  our  Faculty  whom  you 
have  sent  us,  and  who  are  giving  us  the  best  years  of  their  lives.  Our  institution 
has  been  the  first  in  the  empire  founded  by  a private  corporation  with  the  ex- 
press purpose  to  promote  the  work  of  education  in  harmony  with  Christian 
morality.  While  we  have  extended  our  curriculum,  improved  the  means  and 
methods  of  education,  and  made  free  inquiry  the  rule  in  every  department 
of  knowledge,  we  have  always  labored  to  permeate  our  whole  institution  with  the 
broad  principles  of  our  founders  which  are  laid  down  as  the  unchangeable  con- 
stitution of  our  University.  We  pray  and  hope  that  our  nation  may  realize  the 
grand  ideal  of  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  righteousness,  as  it  is  in  Jesus  Christ. 
With  this  great  aim  in  view,  we  are  educating  our  young  men,  who  will  exercise. 


Report  of  the  DeptUatioji  to  Japan. 


as  citizens,  most  healthy  influence  in  every  calling  of  life.  As  the  sphere  of  our 
action  has  been  extended  by  the  late  war,  we  feel  that  now  is  the  most  im- 
portant moment  to  expand  and  develop  our  educational  work  in  every  depart- 
ment, grasping  firmly  in  mind  the  end  for  which  it  was  founded.  For  this 
purpose,  we  are  ready  to  receive  sympathy  and  help  from  our  friends  both  at 
home  and  abroad. 

“ As  you  leave  Japan  after  your  short  visit,  we  tender  you  this  resolution  of  our 
Faculty,  thanking  you  for  your  coming,  and  ask  you  to  express  for  us  our  grati- 
tude to  the  American  Board  for  the  assistance  they  are  rendering  to  our  Univer- 
sity, hoping  also  that  you  may  fairly  represent  its  present  situation  to  our  friends 
in  America,  to  whom  we  owe  so  much.  I am,  etc.” 

To  this  letter  the  Deputation  made  the  following  brief  reply  : — 

Yokohama,  Japan,  December  7,  1895. 

Pres.  H.  Kozaki,  Kyoto,  Japan  : — 

Dear  President  Kozaki,  — Your  two  letters,  one  on  behalf  of  the  Doshisha 
Faculty  and  the  other  on  behalf  of  the  standing  committee  of  the  Doshisha 
Trustees,  were  duly  received  and  read  with  interest. 

We  have  to  thank  you  for  the  cordial  greetings  you  have  given  us,  and  shall 
always  carry  with  us  the  memory  of  the  pleasant  personal  relations  we  have  had 
with  the  various  members  of  the  Faculty  of  the  Doshisha  and  of  the  body  of 
Trustees. 

We  must  say,  however,  that  we  regret  exceedingly  that  this  institution,  which 
was  founded  and  has  been  largely  sustained  by  money  given  for  the  purpose  of 
establishing  a pure  evangelical  Christianity  in  Japan,  is  not  willing  to  make  a clear 
declaration  of  the  principles  of  Christianity  which  it  professes  to  accept  and 
promulgate.  We  are  convinced  that  such  a declaration  would  be  of  great  value 
here  in  Japan,  as  it  would  definitely  show  for  what  the  Doshisha  stands,  while  to 
those  in  the  United  States  who  have  eagerly  and  anxiously  watched  the  course  of 
events  here  during  the  last  two  years,  it  would  be  an  assurance  that  the  school 
still  remains  upon  the  basis  of  its  foundation  and  intends  to  maintain  in  the 
future  its  distinctive,  positive  Christian  character. 

In  regard  to  our  failure  to  come  to  an  understanding  with  the  Trustees  about 
the  missionary  houses  in  Kyoto,  we  have  nothing  to  add  to  our  letter  to  you  and 
the  Trustees,  dated  November  30,  1895. 

Again  with  sincere  appreciation  of  all  the  kindnesses  you  have  shown  us. 

We  are,  etc. 

IV.  KUMAMOTO  PROPERTY. 

The  Kumamoto  Station  was  opened  in  1886,  the  missionaries  living  in  Japanese 
houses  until  July,  1892,  at  which  time  two  houses  had  been  built  for  them,  at  a 
cost  of  $4,100  gold,  upon  land  previously  purchased  for  $1,000  gold. 

Foreigners  being  prohibited  by  the  laws  of  Japan  from  holding  real  estate  in 
the  interior,  this  property  was  held  by  the  Trustees  of  the  Kumamoto  Ei  Gakko, 
a school  for  boys  started  in  1887  by  the  Christians,  with  the  help  of  the  mission- 
aries, and  followed  by  one  for  girls  in  1888.  It  having  been  decided  to  build 
houses  for  the  missionaries,  in  March,  1891,  the  following  proposition  was  made 
by  the  station  and  accepted  by  the  Trustees  regarding  the  same,  namely  : — 


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Report  of  the  Deputation  to  Japan. 

That  the  Board  gives  the  money  for  the  land  and  houses  to  the  school  with  the 
understanding  that  with  it  they  provide  foreign-style  houses  for  the  missionary 
teachers  of  the  school,  and  that  in  case  the  Board  withdraws  from  Kumamoto, 
the  school  shall  sell  the  property  and  pay  back  to  the  Board  whatever  sum  it  may 
bring  in.  Owing  to  dissensions  in  the  Board  of  Trustees,  in  March,  1892,  five  of 
the  eight  Trustees  resigned,  organized  a new  school  and  applied  to  the  station  for 
financial  assistance.  This  the  station  through  lack  of  funds  was  obliged  to  refuse, 
although  wishing  to  be  perfectly  neutral  in  the  controversy  over  the  school  question. 

Upon  the  opening  of  the  school  in  September,  1893,  public  announcement  was 
made  that  the  school  was  no  longer  Christian,  and  early  in  October  a letter  was 
received  by  the  Mission  from  the  Trustees  asking  for  the  withdrawal,  in  Decern  ber 
of  the  missionary  teachers,  and  on  the  twenty-first  of  December  formal  notice 
was  given  by  the  Trustees  to  the  missionaries  to  vacate  the  houses.  This  demand, 
was  complied  with,  but  Kumamoto  continued  to  be  and  is  now  the  centre  from 
which  evangelistic  work  is  carried  on  by  the  missionaries,  notwithstanding  they 
have  not  been  allowed  to  occupy  the  houses. 

All  efforts  of  the  Mission  to  arrive  at  a settlement  with  the  Trustees  have  failed. 
At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Kumi-ai  churches  held  in  April,  1894,  a committee 
was  appointed  to  endeavor  to  adjust  the  matter,  but  all  attempts  on  its  part  were 
met  by  the  Trustees  with  a denial  of  the  right  of  the  churches  to  interfere.  The 
committee  so  reported  at  the  next  annual  meeting  in  May,  1895,  and  the 
churches  voted  that  they  withdraw  fellowship  from  the  school.  Members  of  the 
Deputation  visited  Kumamoto  and  learned  that  the  two  schools  had  united  ; the 
former  Trustees  had  resigned  and  a new  Board  had  been  appointed,  although  not 
fully  qualified,  who,  we  understand,  with  one  exception  are  not  Christians.  .A.  long 
interview  was  held  with  four  of  these,  from  whom  it  was  learned  that  the  school 
was  in  debt  almost  2,000  yen,  of  which  1,000  was  a lien  upon  the  houses  and 
land,  being  for  mortgages  given  since  the  missionaries  were  forced  to  leave,  with 
accumulated  interest  on  the  same,  and  that  it  was  proposed  to  sell  the  entire 
property  for  the  amount  of  its  indebtedness  to  a party  of  gentlemen  who  would 
loan  the  property  to  the  school. 

The  claim  of  the  Board  to  the  property,  the  general  condemnation  both 
among  Americans  and  Japanese  of  the  course  of  the  trustees  in  depriving  the 
missionaries  of  the  use  of  the  houses  built  for  their  occupancy  with  money 
furnished  by  the  Board,  was  fully  set  forth,  and  the  importance  of  an  amicable 
adjustment  of  the  matter,  for  the  sake  of  the  reputation  of  the  Trustees  and  the 
good  name  of  the  Japanese  generally,  was  dwelt  upon.  A proposition  was  made 
for  a settlement,  which  at  the  request  of  the  Trustees  was  afterwards  put  in 
writing  and  handed  to  them,  to  which  they  were  asked  to  give  early  consider- 
ation, as  the  Deputation  was  to  leave  Japan  in  a month  from  that  date.  The 
following  is  a copy  ; — 

Kumamoto,  November  7,  1895. 

To  Messrs.  Fukuda,  President  of  the  School ; and  Okada,  Takamiya,  and  Eto, 
representing  the  School  (formerly  called  the  Kumamoto  Ei  Gakko)  : — 

Gentlenien,  — In  accordance  with  the  promise  we  made  this  morning  in  our 
conference,  we  hereby  submit  to  you  in  writing  the  proposition  concerning  the 


20 


Report  of  the  Deputation  to  Japan. 


property  under  consideration.  We  also  prefix  the  statement  we  made  regarding 
the  original  understanding  which  the  American  Board  had  of  the  general  situation. 

As  we  stated,  when  the  American  Board  appropriated  the  money  for  the  pur- 
chase of  land  and  erection  of  houses  in  Kumamoto,  it  was  with  the  under- 
standing that  they  were  to  be  used  for  the  residence  of  its  missionaries  ; but  if 
for  any  reason  the  missionaries  should  withdraw  from  Kumamoto,  the  full  value 
of  the  property  at  the  time  of  the  withdrawal  was  to  be  returned  by  the  school 
to  the  Board.  Letters  from  some  of  the  Trustees  of  the  school  who  entered  into 
the  arrangement  show  that  the  understanding  was  as  we  have  stated,  which  is 
also  confirmed  from  other  sources. 

While  the  missionaries  have  been  ready  to  occupy  the  houses,  they  have  not 
been  permitted  to  do  so  for  the  last  two  years.  Therefore  the  school  should 
return  the  value  of  the  property  to  the  American  Board.  But  as  the  Trustees  of 
the  school  have  not  done  this,  we  submit  the  following  proposition  : — 

The  American  Board  will  relinquish  all  its  claims  upon  the  property  to  the 
school  upon  the  following  conditions  : — 

The  American  Board  to  have  the  use  of  the  property  for  a term  of  thirty 
years,  the  Board  paying  the  taxes  and  keeping  the  buildings  in  repair  in  lieu  of 
rent.  The  present  mortgage  to  be  paid  as  soon  as  possible,  the  property  not  to 
be  again  mortgaged. 

As  soon  as  foreigners  can  rent  real  estate  in  the  interior,  the  Trustees  to  give 
a legal  lease  to  the  Board  for  the  unexpired  term  of  years,  upon  the  same 
conditions. 

In  the  event  of  the  schools  being  closed  before  the  expiration  of  the  said 
term,  the  property  is  to  be  transferred  to  whomsoever  the  Board  may  elect. 

At  the  end  of  the  thirty  years  the  property  is  to  belong  to  the  school,  without 
any  conditions. 

If  at  any  time  before  the  expiration  of  the  thirty  years  the  Board  shall  per- 
manently withdraw  from  Kumamoto,  the  property  is  to  belong  exclusively  to  the 
schools  unless  they  have  been  previously  disbanded. 

We  place  the  term  of  occupancy  of  the  property  at  thirty  years  because  that 
is  the  time  fixed  in  similar  arrangements  already  concluded  with  other  schools  in 
Japan.  But,  if  you  strongly  object  to  so  long  a term,  we  will  make  in  this  case 
an  exception  and  fix  the  period  at  twenty  years. 

Hoping  that  this  will  meet  with  your  careful  and  early  consideration.  We 
remain,  etc. 

As  no  reply  to  the  proposition  had  been  received,  the  Deputation  just  before 
leaving  Japan  sent  a request  to  the  Trustees  to  confer  with  the  Property  Com- 
mittee of  the  Mission,  to  whom  had  been  given  a copy  of  our  letter,  wdth  authority 
to  either  receive  the  money  in  payment  for  the  property  or  the  property  itself,  if 
the  proposition  was  accepted.  The  matter  rests  entirely  with  the  Trustees.  If 
they  decline  to  take  any  action,  the  property  is  lost  to  the  Board,  as  it  has  no 
claim  which  can  be  enforced  in  the  courts. 

While  in  Kumamoto,  conferences  \vere  held  with  a number  of  the  evangelists 
and  pastors  located  in  the  Island  of  Kiushiu,  all  of  whom  spoke  very  encourag- 


Report  of  the  Deputation  to  Japan. 


2 [ 

ingly  of  the  present  conditions  of  the  work  and  of  the  great  need  of  missionaries, 
and  nearly  all  were  of  the  opinion  that  Kumamoto  should  continue  to  be  the 
centre  for  evangelistic  work  for  the  western  portion  of  the  Island  ; the  Mission 
has  also  voted  to  continue  the  station,  in  which  action  we  heartily  concur. 


V.  FUTURE  POLICY  AND  CO-OPERATION. 

Mission  work  in  Japan,  if  it  is  to  be  efficient,  must  be  adjusted  to  the  rapidly 
succeeding  changes  which  are  there  taking  place.  Within  less  than  one  genera- 
tion, Old  Japan  has  nearly  disappeared,  and  a new,  progressive,  and  swiftly 
evolving  nation  has  come  to  the  front.  In  a land  where  schools  are  provided  for 
all;  where  even  the  humblest  are  in  touch,  through  the  press,  with  the  thought 
and  action  of  the  world  ; where  dispensaries,  hospitals,  and  trained  nurses  are 
provided,  either  by  the  state  or  by  individual  enterprise  ; where  even  Christians 
are  only  a quarter  of  a century  from  the  Buddhism,  Shintoism  and  Confucianism 
of  their  ancestors,  the  missionary  problem  is  serious  and  complicated.  The 
wonder  is  not  that  divergence  from  the  ethical  and  theological  traditions  of 
Christendom  is  so  great,  but  rather  that  it  is  not  greater.  The  question  forced 
upon  us  by  our  investigations  is  not.  How  may  the  American  Board  withdraw  its 
missionaries  from  Japan?  but,  rather.  How  may  it  help  them  to  work  more 
wisely  and  efficiently?  That,  we  are  persuaded,  can  be  best  accomplished,  in 
existing  conditions,  not  by  an  increase  of  the  resident  missionary  force,  but  by 
certain  changes  in  methods.  Therefore  our  first  recommendation  is  as 
follows  : — 

We  recommend  that  the  number  of  missionaries  in  the  service  of  the  Ameri- 
can Board  in  Japan  be  not  increased  at  present. 

Concerning  missionary  policy  in  Japan,  your  Deputation  believes  that  the  time 
has  come  for  a slight  change  in  the  method  of  conducting  the  work.  The  oppor- 
tunity before  Christians  of  approved  ability  and  spirituality,  before  preachers 
who  are  not  only  consecrated  but  also  learned  and  wise,  was  never  more  inviting 
than  now,  and  we  believe  that  the  people  were  never  more  willing  to  receive 
them.  Two  plans  may  be  adopted  : one,  that  of  sending  out  many  new  mission- 
aries, and  the  other  that  of  giving  the  best  possible  training  to  native  Christians 
desirous  of  becoming  religious  teachers  and  preachers.  This  evangelistic  work 
can  be  better  done  by  the  Japanese,  but  the  training  can  better  be  given  by  pro- 
fessors and  pastors  from  abroad.  Even  missionaries  of  large  ability  and  ripe 
experience  will  not  now  be  heeded  as  many  others  would  be  who  might  be  sent 
out,  for  occasional  service,  as  evangelists  and  teachers.  What  is  now  most 
required  is  instruction  in  apologetics,  and  the  philosophy  of  Christianity,  and 
direct  aid  in  evangelistic  effort,  by  those  whose  position  in  the  church  and 
among  scholars  will  secure  for  them  the  respectful  consideration  of  the  men  who 
must  be  the  Christian  leaders  in  Japan  during  the  next  generation.  Therefore, 
while  your  Deputation  is  of  the  opinion  that  the  number  of  missionaries  should 
not  be  increased  at  present,  it  makes  the  following  recommendation  concerning 
the  conduct  of  mission  work  in  the  immediate  future  : — 

We  recommend  that  the  Prudential  Committees  take  measures  to  send 
annually  to  Japan  men  of  established  ability  and  reputation  to  speak  on  various 


22 


Report  of  the  Deputation  to  Japa^i. 


subjects,  in  furtherance  of  missionary  work,  and  that  in  this  plan  they  endeavor 
to  secure  the  cooperation  of  other  missionary  societies. 

Your  Deputation  has  found,  on  the  part  of  both  missionaries  and  Japanese,  a 
desire  for  a more  scholarly  Christian  literature  than  is  now  within  the  reach  of 
those  who  read  only  the  vernacular.  Other  religious  bodies,  as  various  sects  of 
Buddhists,  are  flooding  the  empire  with  cheap  books ; for  e.xample,  catechisms, 
historical  sketches,  and  arguments  in  favor  of  their  religions.  There  is  need 
that  the  best  thought  of  the  Christian  world  be  brought  within  easy  reach  of  all 
that  people.  As  one  way  of  meeting  this  demand,  the  Mission  has  already  taken 
the  preliminary  steps  for  starting  a Review,  — the  same  to  be  under  the  control 
of  the  Mission,  — which  shall  be  published  in  the  vernacular,  and  which  shall  aim 
to  provide,  by  original  articles  and  by  translations,  the  best  results  of  modern 
Christian  scholarship.  We  approve  this  action  of  the  Mission  and  recommend 
that  the  project  be  financially  aided  by  the  Board. 

Concerning  the  subject  of  cooperation  between  the  Mission  and  the  Kumi-ai 
churches,  your  Deputation  is  of  the  opinion  that  such  cooperation  is  desirable. 
While  there  may  be  here  and  there  among  the  pastors  a few  whose  radical  views 
in  theology  might  make  fellowship  difficult,  if  not  impossible,  we  believe  that 
such  instances  are  exceptions,  and  that  they  should  not  be  allowed  to  disturb  the 
fraternal  relations  which  should  exist  between  the  Mission  and  the  churches  which 
it  has  so  largely  founded  and  fostered. 

When  the  labors  of  the  missionaries  shall  have  resulted  in  conditions  favorable 
to  church  organization,  such  churches  should  be  constituted,  in  accordance  with 
the  custom  hitherto  observed  by  the  Mission,  namely,  according  to  the  usage  of 
the  Kumi-ai  body.  If  the  church  becomes  at  once  self-supporting,  the  mission- 
ary will  have  no  relation  to  it  except  that  of  love  and  fellowship  ; but  if  the 
church  expects  from  the  Board  financial  assistance,  then  the  missionaries  as 
agents  of  th,e  Board  must  take  measures  to  satisfy  the  Board  that  the  money 
given  by  it  is  not  used  to  aid  or  to  support  those  who  in  their  faith,  preaching, 
and  practice  are  not  evangelical,  in  accordance  with  the  common  understantling 
of  the  term  in  the  churches  supporting  the  Board. 

There  are  difficulties  in  the  way  of  cooperation  between  the  Japanese  and 
foreigners  in  the  use  of  mission  funds.  Such  cooperation  has  been  character- 
ized by  some  Japanese  as  “a  double  control,”  they  not  being  able  to  grasp  the 
idea  of  a joint  control  and  responsibility,  taken  together  with  the  fact  that  the 
missionaries  are  the  recognized  agents  of  the  Mission  Board  and  the  supporting 
churches.  Owing  to  the  difficulties  hitherto  rising  out  of  such  relations  wherein 
the  missionaries  and  Japanese  are  in  a kind  of  copartnership  for  the  support  of 
work,  we  cannot  recommend  new  and  enlarged  attempts  in  this  respect. 

On  the  question  of  “self-support,”  the  Deputation  advised  the  IMission  sub- 
stantially as  follows  : — 

We  recommend  that  the  Mission  plan  to  reduce  its  expenditures  for  evange- 
listic work  as  rapidly  as  is  consistent  with  the  success  of  the  missionary  cause. 
We  urge  upon  the  churches  the  privilege  and  duty  of  self-support  so  soon  as 
circumstances  will  permit.  We  further  suggest  that  in  carrying  out  this  recom- 
mendation, those  regions  where  there  are  strong  Kumi-ai  churches  be  left  as  far  as 
possible  to  the  care  of  those  churches,  and  that  the  Mission  devote  its  attention 


Report  of  the  Deputation  to  Japan. 


23 


to  the  more  remote  and  less  developed  localities.  It  should  be  remembered 
that  the  Home  Missionary  Society  of  the  Kumi-ai  churches  is  independent,  and 
self-supporting,  and  responsible  to  the  Board  neither  directly  nor  indirectly. 

It  is  now  a generally  accepted  principle  of  missionary  policy  that  the  evange- 
lization of  any  land  should,  so  far  as  possible,  be  committed  to  the  hands  of 
native  Christians.  This  is  peculiarly  true  in  Japan.  The  work  of  the  missionaries 
will  be  none  the  less  important  and  imperative  in  the  future,  but  it  will  involve 
much  more  consultation  with  the  Kumi-ai  churches.  In  so  far  as  practicable  we 
urge  both  upon  the  Board,  and  upon  the  missionaries,  conference  with  the  Home 
Missionary  Society  of  the  Kumi-ai  churches  as  to  the  best  places  for  beginning 
new  work;  and  we  suggest  to  the  Board  that  the  president  of  the  Home  Mis- 
sionary Society  of  the  Kumi-ai  churches  be  informed  that  the  Prudential 
Committee  will  always  welcome  any  suggestions  as  to  the  best  methods  of  con- 
ducting the  work  common  to  both  bodies. 

AVe  cannot  close  this  part  of  our  report  without  saying  that,  notwithstanding 
all  that  has  been  reported  to  the  contrary,  the  condition  of  the  Kumi-ai  churches 
and  of  the  missionary  seiA'ice  in  Japan  on  the  whole  is  very  encouraging.  The 
extraordinary  and  abnormal  movement  of  multitudes  toward  Christianity,  a few 
years  ago,  has  given  place  to  a slow  and  healthy  growth.  The  churches  are  not 
so  well  attended  as  formerly,  but  those  who  do  attend  are  more  faithful  and  are 
developing  a stronger  faith  and  doing  better  work.  This  is  the  unanimous  testi- 
mony of  the  most  conservative  of  the  Kumi-ai  pastors  and  of  the  missionaries. 
If  our  recommendations,  and  other  similar  plans,  are  adopted,  we  believe  that 
the  new  spiritual  revival,  now  so  evidently  begun  in  Japan,  will  be  greatly 
advanced,  and  that  the  Board  and  the  churches  will  soon  recognize  that  the 
results  of  their  efforts  in  that  country  have  fully  justified  all  the  expenditure  of 
money,  labor,  and  consecrated  lives. 


VI.  KOBE  COLLEGE. 

It  is  very  gratifying  to  be  able  to  speak  in  terms  of  unqualified  praise  of  Kobe 
College.  In  buildings  and  equipment,  in  courses  of  education,  in  management, 
it  is  unsurpassed  as  a Christian  school  for  girls  in  Japan.  During  the  twenty 
years  of  its  existence  it  has  seen  great  changes  and  it  is  destined  to  see  others 
equally  great,  for  which  it  is  well  prepared.  There  was  a time  when  foreign 
education  for  girls  was  much  desired  by  the  Japanese,  and  this,  like  all  similar 
schools,  was  crowded  with  students.  Then  came  the  reaction,  when  it  was  thought 
by  the  people  that  the  AVestern  education  unfitted  girls  for  the  homes  and  lives 
for  which  they  were  destined.  That  reaction  has  not  yet  passed.  The  govern- 
ment schools  make  small  provision  for  the  educ  ation  of  girls  above  the  primary 
grade.  Lender  these  circumstances,  one  of  the  greatest  benefits  extended  by 
foreign  missions  to  women  in  Japan  is  through  their  schools  for  girls.  There  is 
evidence  that  this  benefit  is  being  now  more  fully  appreciated,  and  that  no  better 
work  for  the  future  of  Japan  can  be  done  than  to  persist  in  holding  open  these 
schools  until  the  people  shall  see  their  disastrous  error  in  neglecting  the  oppor- 
tunity thus  afforded.  The  minister  of  education  has  recently  made  a strong 


24  Report  of  the  Deputation  to  Japan. 

utterance  in  favor  of  female  education  which  is  sure  to  have  much  effect  on 
public  opinion. 

“ Very  few  of  the  pupils,”  Miss  Searle  reported  at  the  twentieth  anniversary  in 
November,  “enter  the  school  from  Christian  families  or  with  any  previous 
knowledge  of  Christian  truth.”  Of.  the  132  graduates,  only  nine  were  not 
members  of  the  church  at  the  time  of  their  graduation.  At  present  there  are 
about  seventy  pupils  in  the  College.  Its  property  is  held  by  a secure  title,  and 
it  is  under  the  management  of  the  missionaries,  d'he  W.  B.  M.  I.  may  justly 
take  great  pride  in  this  institution,  which  it  has  done  so  much  to  foster. 

We  recommend  that  Kobe  College  under  its  present  management  be  fully 
sustained. 


VII.  LOCATION  AND  EMPLOYMENT  OF  MISSIONARIES. 

The  location  of  the  different  missionaries  has  been  left  heretofore  largely  to 
the  Mission  to  decide,  and  we  do  not  understand  that  your  instructions  to  us 
intend  to  change  this  rule.  We  have  investigated  the  general  question  of  loca- 
tion as  a whole,  upon  whicli  we  make  report.  It  is  no  more  than  just  to  add  that 
it  seems  to  us  that  the  Mission  has  been  eminently  wise  in  the  arrangement  and 
distribution  of  our  forces  in  Japan. 

We  find  that  some  of  the  larger  cities  have  a considerable  missionary  force. 
This  includes,  as  in  Toyko,  representatives  of  a great  number  of  missionary 
boards.  At  the  same  time  these  cities  have  the  largest  number  of  Japanese 
pastors,  evangelists,  teachers,  and  Christians,  as  well  as  church  organizations. 
We  recognize  that  these  cities  afford  wide  opportunity  for  reaching  multitudes 
who  have  not  yet  heard  of  Christ,  yet  we  feel  that,  so  far  as  possible,  the  Japanese 
churches  and  Christians  should  be  made  to  accept  their  own  responsibility  in 
this  work.  At  the  same  time  many  large  towns  and  wide  rural  districts  more 
remote  from  these  cities  have  no  missionaries  and  no  gospel  privileges,  and  are 
urgently  requesting  the  attention  of  mission  boards. 

We  therefore  recommend  that  in  the  arrangement  of  our  missionary  forces  the 
number  of  missionaries  be  not  increased  in  Tokyo,  Kyoto,  Osaka,  Kobe,  or 
Okayama. 

As  to  the  work  to  be  done,  we  are  impressed  with  the  fact  that  the  changed 
circumstances  in  Japan  must  necessarily  lead  to  different  methods  of  work. 
When  missions  were  first  begun,  before  the  government  had  in  operation  its 
present  admirable  school  system,  there  were  wide  opportunities  offered  for 
Christian  work  in  connection  with  general  instructions  in  English,  in  both  private 
and  in  government  schools.  In  fact,  under  the  laws  of  Japan  it  was  necessary 
for  every  missionary  residing  outside  of  the  limits  of  the  treaty  ports  to  be  in  the 
employ  of  some  Japanese.  This  employment  was  usually  that  of  teacher,  and 
hence  missionaries  in  the  interior  necessarily  passed  many  hours  each  week  in 
the  schoolroom.  At  present,  owing  to  the  high  excellence  of  the  government 
schools,  in  which  are  found  many  Christian  teachers,  and  also  because  of  the 
changing  treaties,  which  even  now  make  it  possible  for  missionaries  to  reside  in 
many  places  outside  of  treaty  ports,  upon  a traveler’s  passport,  and  in  the  near 
future  will  give  general  freedom  in  this  respect,  we  recommend  that  the  time  and 


Report  of  the  Deputation  to  Japan. 


25 


strength  of  our  missionaries  be  devoted  to  what  may  be  called  more  direct  lines 
of  evangelistic  work.  The  necessity  for  mission  schools,  except  in  the  more 
direct  preparation  of  young  men  for  the  gospel  ministry,  appears  to  us  to  be 
decreasing  in  proportion  to  the  increased  excellence  of  the  government  schools. 
We  would,  however,  make  an  exception  in  the  matter  of  schools  for  girls,  as  in 
female  education  the  government  is  not  so  progressive. 

We  do  not  recommend  any  sudden  change  in  this  respect,  but  leave  the  par- 
ticulars mainly  to  the  Mission.  We  do  desire,  however,  to  say  that  it  seems  to 
us  that  the  necessity  in  Japan  for  missionaries  to  devote  themselves  to  mere 
teaching  is  largely  past,  unless  they  see  in  that  work  a wide  opportunity  to 
influence  their  pupils  for  Christianity  and  to  affect  others  whom  they  may  reach 
through  them.  We  believe  that  a missionary  should  be  always  an  evangelist,  in 
whatever  line  of  work  he  may  be  engaged,  and  that  he  should  seek  those  places 
in  which  he  can  best  accomplish  his  work.  The  general  influence  of  medical 
and  educational  work  as  illustrating  practical  Christianity  has  been  great  indeed 
in  the  past. 

We  have  only  commendation  for  the  work  done  by  the  representatives  of  our 
various  Woman’s  Boards  in  Japan.  The  influence  and  power  of  their  mission- 
aries in  the  several  girls’  schools  with  which  they  are  connected,  in  the  Bible 
Training  School  in  Kobe,  and  in  the  general  evangelistic  work  are  beyond  our 
praise.  We  recommend  vigorous  support  and  prosecution  of  this  woman’s  work 
for  the  women  of  Japan  along  all  these  lines. 

VIII.  EDUCATION. 

Our  Board  cannot  compete  in  general  education  for  young  men  with  the  well- 
equipped  and  efficient  government  schools.  Although  no  religions  are  taught  or 
permitted  to  be  taught  in  these  schools,  the  Christian  teachers  in  many  of  them 
have  full  liberty  to  meet  their  students  outside  of  recitation  hours  for  religious 
study. 

The  last  published  reports  in  English  of  the  educational  system  of  Japan  show 
that  there  are  a little  more  than  seven  millions  of  children  of  the  school  age  in 
the  empire.  A little  over  four  millions  of  these  are  registered  pupils  in  the 
public  schools.  This  is  nearly  fifty-nine  per  cent,  of  the  school  population.  The 
attendance  is  constantly  upon  the  increase.  There  is  yet  great  need  of  efficient 
private  schools  for  the  training  of  men  and  women  for  various  departments  of 
the  Christian  work.  Herein  consists  the  close  relation  which  education  bears 
to  the  evangelization  of  Japan.  The  only  school  for  boys  aided  by  our  Board  in 
Japan  is  the  Doshisha,  which  is  treated  under  a separate  head. 

We  recommend  no  change  for  the  present  in  the  aid  rendered  to  the 
girls’  schools  at  Kobe,  Kyoto,  Maebashi,  Tottori,  Osaka,  and  Matsuyama 
in  the  line  of  missionary  teachers  and  money  grants,  owing  to  the  aid  to 
evangelization  which  these  schools  render.  We  do  recommend,  however, 
that  when  any  missionary  teacher  feels  that  he  is  not  able,  in  the  capacity  of 
teacher,  to  do  his  work  as  missionary,  the  matter  be  brought  before  the  Mission 
for  consultation  and  decision,  with  the  object  of  releasing  him  from  teaching  if, 
in  view  of  all  the  facts,  it  seems  best  to  do  so. 


26 


Repoj't  of  the  Deputation  to  Japan, 


IX.  COMMUNICATION  FROM  THE  DOSHISHA. 

In  a paper  which  the  Deputation  received  from  the  Trustees  of  the  Doshisha 
at  the  hand  of  President  Kozaki,  the  following  desires  and  requests  are 
expressed  : — 

1.  “In  the  collegiate  and  preparatory  schools  it  is  our  desire  to  have  at  least 
two  foreign  professors  of  the  English  language  and  literature  for  some  time  to 
come. 

2.  “ In  the  Theological  School,  especially,  a strong  faculty  is  needed,  that  is, 
a group  of  professors  of  thorough  scholarship,  with  devout  Christian  spirit,  either 
native  or  foreign.  But  it  is  hard  to  find  such  in  Japan,  and  hence  it  is  our  desire 
that  the  Board  will  give  help  in  every  way  to  raise  such  laborers  in  the  future. 

3.  “It  is  our  desire  that  in  raising  funds  for  both  the  collegiate  and  theolog- 
ical schools,  the  Board  will  give  us  some  proper  assistance. 

4.  “ It  is  our  desire  that  the  present  method  of  helping  students  directly  by 
missionaries  be  changed  to  a form  of  the  Board’s  gift  to  the  school  for  scholar- 
ship, and  funds  to  be  given  or  lent  for  needy  worthy  students,  to  be  distributed  by 
vote  of  the  Fac\ilty.” 

These  requests  were  preceded  by  a statement  that,  in  so  far  as  the  Board 
recognizes  the  Doshisha  as  an  independent  institution  of  Japan,  it  wishes  to 
receive  annually  its  gifts,  also  expressing  the  purpose  to  gradually  reduce  the  sum 
asked  for  as  other  funds  are  secured. 

The  first  two  items,  with  the  preliminary  statement,  have  been  already  covered 
practically  by  our  report  upon  Article  III  of  the  instructions  of  the  Prudential 
Committee,  and  need  not  be  repeated. 

In  response  to  the  third  request,  as  well  as  to  the  entire  subject  involved,  we 
would  recommend  that  when  the  Prudential  Committee  are  assured  that  the 
Doshisha  is  the  positive  force  in  Japan  for  evangelical  Christianity  for  which  it 
was  founded  and  so  largely  endowed,  and  that  it  will  continue  to  be  so,  it  will 
do  all  in  its  power  under  its  rules  to  strengthen  and  aid  it. 

In  regard  to  the  fourth  request,  we  would  recommend  that  there  be  no  change 
at  present  in  the  method  of  aiding  needy  but  worthy  students  in  their  prepara- 
tion in  the  Doshisha  for  the  gospel  ministry.  Aid  given  by  the  missionaries  in 
the  form  of  an  equivalent  for  services  rendered  in  the  practical  gospel  work  is,  in 
our  judgment,  better  than  money  given  as  scholarships  through  the  Faculty  of  the 
school. 

X.  LETTER  TO  THE  KUMI-AI  CHURCHES. 

When  it  was  heard  in  Japan  that  the  Prudential  Committee  was  sending  out 
a Deputation,  the  Kumi-ai  churches  appointed  a representative  committee  to 
confer  with  it  about  matters  of  mutual  interest.  This  committee  was  composed 
of  Rev.  T.  Harada,  president  of  the  last  annual  conference  of  the  Kumi-ai 
churches;  President  Kozaki,  of  the  Doshisha;  Rev.  I.  Abe,  pastor  of  the 
Okayama  church  ; Rev.  K.  Miyagawa,  pastor  of  the  Naniwa  church  at  Osaka, 
and  Rev.  T.  Osada,  pastor  of  the  Tamon  church  of  Kobe,  and  president  of  the 
Kumi-ai  Home  Missionary  Society.  Two  conferences  were  held  with  this 
committee,  in  which  the  general  conditions  of  the  work  and  its  special  imme- 


27 


Report  of  the  Deputation  to  Japan. 

diate  needs  were  discussed.  The  conclusions  to  which  we  arrived  from  these 
conferences  are  embodied  in  different  parts  of  the  report  herewith  rendered. 
The  conferences  which  were  held  with  these  brethren  were  most  pleasant,  cordial, 
and  helpful.  We  were  impressed  with  their  earnest  spirit,  marked  ability,  and 
devotion  to  the  cause  of  Christ  in  Japan. 

When  about  to  leave  the  country,  the  Deputation  addressed  the  following 
letter  to  the  Kumi-ai  churches  of  Japan:  — 

TO  THE  KUMI-AI  CHURCHES  OF  JAPAN. 

Dear  Brethren: — 

The  Deputation  appointed  by  the  Prudential  Committee  ot  the  American  Board  to 
visit  and  confer  with  its  missionaries  in  Japan  and  with  Japanese  Christians  has  com- 
pleted its  work  and  is  about  to  sail  for  home.  During  our  presence  in  your  beautiful 
country  we  have  been  the  recipients  of  so  many  courtesies  at  the  hands  of  the  Kumi-ai 
Christians  and  Churches  that  we  should  feel  that  we  had  been  deprived  of  a great 
privilege  if  we  were  not  permitted  to  express  our  hearty  thanks  to  you  for  your  kind- 
ness to  us. 

With  the  growth  of  your  churches,  almost  unexampled  in  the  history  of  any  country, 
we  have  had  great  satisfaction,  and  at  the  prospect  of  still  larger  growth  both  in  num- 
bers and  spirituality  in  the  not  distant  future  we  gratefully  rejoice.  We  feel  that  your 
history  is  our  history  and  your  prosperity  is  a blessing  which  will  carry  gladness  to  all 
Christians  the  world  around.  You  are  a body  of  independent  churches,  subject  to  no 
master  but  Jesus  Christ ; this  we  fully  recognize  and  this  our  missionaries  have  always 
recognized,  and  we  have  rejoiced  to  find  in  you  much  of  the  spirit  of  the  Pilgrim 
Fathers,  to  whom  the  religious  life  of  our  country  is  so  largely  indebted.  As  we  look 
over  the  world  with  its  teeming  millions,  so  many  of  whom  have  no  clear  idea  of  the 
gospel  of  our  Saviour,  we  feel  that  an  immense  and  solemn  responsibility  rests  upon 
the  Church  of  Christ  in  all  lands,  and  not  the  least  in  your  own  land,  to  which  Provi- 
dence seems  to  have  committed  the  intellectual  and  spiritual  leadership  of  the  East. 

In  our  study  of  the  problems  facing  our  missionaries,  we  have  had  to  consider 
whether  the  time  had  come  for  their  withdrawal  from  Japan.  In  getting  information 
on  this  point  we  have  consulted  with  many  of  your  ministers,  laymen,  and  evangelists, 
and  every  one  has  advised  us  not  immediately  to  withdraw  from  the  field.  Some  have 
suggested  that  the  number  of  missionaries  should  not  be  increased,  but  the  voice  in 
favor  of  retaining  most  of  those  now  present  has  been  unanimous.  We  have  decided 
to  advise  the  missionaries  to  remain  in  your  country  for  the  present,  hoping  that  the 
time  will  not  be  far  distant  in  which  you  will  be  able  not  only  to  do  without  them  but 
also  to  join  with  us  in  carrying  the  kingdom  to  other  lands. 

Our  missionaries  will  not  attempt  to  establish  independent  churches,  but  will,  so  far 
as  they  are  able,  seek  to  cooperate  with  you  in  the  work  of  the  Kumi-ai  body,  along 
the  same  general  lines  as  in  the  past,  and  we  ask  for  them  in  their  difficult  and  delicate 
duties  your  generous  cooperation.  They  will,  of  course,  have  to  do  their  work  in  the 
way  in  which  they  can  work  best,  as  you  will  work  in  the  way  best  adapted  to  you,  but 
there  ought  to  be,  and  we  are  persuaded  that  there  will  be,  no  serious  difficulty  in  such 
cooperation. 

We  must  ask  you  to  remember  that  our  missionaries  have  to  render  an  account  to 
the  Board  concerning  their  work  and  all  moneys  expended  by  them,  and  that  often 
when  you  may  differ  from  them  they  may  be  only  carrying  out  the  imperative  and 
necessary  instructions  of  the  Board. 

We  have  been  advised,  both  by  you  and  our  missionaries,  to  devote  more  attention, 
in  the  future,  to  sending  out  for  occasional  service  eminent  and  able  pastors  and 


28 


Report  of  the  Deputation  to  Japan. 

theologians,  and  also  to  provide  for  the  translation  and  publication  of  works  of  re- 
ligious thought  of  world-wide  value.  Both  these  suggestions  seem  to  us  eminently 
wise,  and  we  shall  take  great  pleasure  in  advising  our  Board  to  do  as  you  suggest. 

You  have  also  suggested  that,  so  far  as  there  may  be  changes  in  the  location  of  mis- 
sionaries, more  attention  should  be  given  to  the  districts  where  there  are  not  already 
well  established  Kumi-ai  churches.  That  suggestion  also  approves  itself  to  us  and  we 
have  so  advised  our  missionaries. 

We  regret  that  we  have  not  been  able  to  come  to  agreement  with  those  with  whom 
we  have  had  misunderstanding  concerning  houses  and  lands  purchased  and  paid  for  by 
the  American  Board.  In  Kyoto  and  Kumamoto  such  misunderstanding  exists.  With 
reference  to  this  we  have  addressed  to  the  Trustees  of  the  Doshisha  a letter,  from 
which  we  quote  as  follows  : — 

“ We  cannot  believe  that  you  will  think  of  asking  rent  from  the  Board  for  the  mis- 
sionary houses  in  Kyoto,  when  the  land  was  purchased  and  the  houses  were  paid  for, 
entirely  out  of  the  treasury  of  the  Board.  For  you  to  do  that,  we  believe  both  you  and 
all  your  countrymen  would  hold  to  be  a stain  upon  the  good  name  of  the  Doshisha.” 

Concerning  our  difficulty  at  Kumamoto,  we  desire  to  say  that  we  are  profoundly 
grateful  to  our  brethren  of  the  Kumi-ai  churches  for  what  they  have  done  to  help  us 
in  that  matter,  and  we  trust  that  they  will  not  cease  to  use  their  efforts  until  there  has 
been  an  honorable  settlement. 

As  we  study  the  religious  condition  of  the  world,  we  find  much  cause  for  rejoicing  at 
the  swift  advancement  of  the  Kingdom  of  God,  but  we  also  see  that  that  kingdom  has 
many  and  insidious  foes  and  that  the  demand  was  never  greater  that  all  the  Christian 
host  should  present  a united  and  aggressive  front  against  unbelief  and  sin.  This  is 
no  time  for  emphasis  upon  what  we  do  not  believe.  Positive,  scriptural,  able,  conse- 
crated preaching  and  pure  and  saintly  Christian  lives  are  everywhere  imperatively 
demanded.  Will  you  not  unite  with  us,  and  with  all  Christians,  in  exalting  the  person- 
ality and  fatherhood  of  God,  the  saving  work  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  need  of  regeneration 
by  the  Holy  Spirit  and  his  constant  ministry ; the  duty  of  all  men  of  every  land  and 
condition  to  love  and  serve  one  another,  and  the  power  of  the  endless  life?  In  short, 
may  we  not  together  with  all  evangelical  Christians  unite  in  so  presenting  the  gospel  of 
our  blessed  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  that  your  land  and  our  land  and  all  lands 
shall,  in  due  time,  acknowledge  him  as  Master  and  Lord? 

We  have  read  with  much  interest  the  platform  adopted  by  you  in  your  recent  meeting 
at  Nara,  and  see  in  it  your  recognition  that  the  world  can  be  made  truly  Christian  only 
by  men  of  lofty  faith,  holy  lives,  and  pure  hearts.  We  pray  for  God’s  blessing  on  the 
movement  there  so  auspiciously  started. 

Dear  Brethren,  we  greet  you  as  our  fellow-workers  for  the  kingdom  of  God ; we 
pray  for  you.  Will  you  not  pray  for  us  and  for  our  country,  that  together  Japan  and 
America  may  advance  toward  the  stature  of  truly  Christian  nations? 

Once  more  and  from  our  hearts  vve  thank  you  for  your  courtesy  to  us.  It  will  never 
be  forgotten.  God  bless  the  Kumi-ai  churches,  and  God  bless  the  Japanese  nation! 

In  the  bonds  of  Christian  fellowship,  we  subscribe  ourselves. 

Dear  Brethren,  Very  sincerely,  etc. 


Yokohama,  December  7,  1895. 

XI.  CONCLUDING  STATEMENTS. 

While  Japan  is  a small  country  in  area,  yet  when  we  regard  its  population  of 
more  than  41,000,000,  its  political,  social,  and  religious  importance  in  relation  to 
the  problems  of  the  far  East,  it  is  of  the  utmost  moment  that  we  give  to  this 


Report  of  the  Deputation  to  Japan. 


29 


nation  careful  consideration.  The  Japanese  people  are  homogeneous,  speaking 
one  language  and  united  by  a strong  national  spirit  which  must  be  taken  into 
account  in  considering  all  matters  relating  to  missionary  enterprises.  The 
country  e.xtends  through  nineteen  degrees  of  latitude,  and  is  made  up  of  four 
larger  islands  and  many  smaller  ones.  This  makes  it  more  difficult  for  Christian 
influence  from  one  centre  to  extend  over  the  entire  country. 

It  must  always  be  borne  in  mind  that  while  Japan  and  the  Japanese  are  now 
so  well  known,  it  is  only  a third  of  a century  since  anything  definite  was  under- 
stood of  the  country  and  people,  and  less  than  a score  of  years  since  anything 
like  practical  acquaintance  with  them  could  be  affirmed. 

It  would  be  unjust  to  the  Japanese  and  for  us  not  to  keep  constantly  before  us 
the  fact  that  to  within  a few  years  they  were  shut  up  to  their  own  religions, — • 
Shintoism,  Confucianism,  and  Buddhism,  — knowing  the  name  of  Christianity  only 
to  hate  it.  These  three  faiths,  meeting  in  some  form  in  the  life  of  nearly  every 
Japanese,  have  been  closely  connected  with  their  intellectual,  social,  and  national 
life  for  many  centuries.  The  stamp  of  some  one,  or  more  commonly  of  all  these 
religions,  is  upon  every  institution  of  the  country  and  permeates  and  explains 
nearly  every  custom. 

Into  these  conditions  evangelical  Christianity  entered  in  1859.  Everything, 
— language,  hatred,  and  suspicion  of  foreigners,  lack  of  treaty  privileges,  preju- 
dice against  Christianity  and  foreign  faith,  ignorance  of  the  Japanese  customs 
and  characteristics  upon  the  part  of  the  missionaries,  all  combined  to  delay  the 
Christianization  of  Japan.  For  twelve  years  apparently  little  or  nothing  was 
accomplished. 

The  most  of  the  work  in  Japan  has  been  done  since  1871.  The  story  reads 
like  a modern  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  The  nation  has  been  disarmed  of  its  sus- 
picions against  Christianity.  The  non-Christian  leaders  in  Japan  recognize  the 
worth  and  power  of  the  Christian  character  and  honor  the  true  Christian  life. 
The  missionary  is  now  free  to  go  at  will  into  all  parts  of  the  empire.  The  Bible 
and  Christian  literature  have  free  circulation  everywhere,  even  among  the  soldiers 
in  the  army  and  in  the  hospitals.  The  prisons  are  open  for  the  Christian 
evangelist.  Christian  teachers  are  in  many  of  the  government  schools,  with  full 
liberty  to  teach  Christianity  to  the  pupils  outside  of  school  hours.  Persecution 
is  a thing  of  the  past,  except  as  it  occasionally  appears  in  disguise.  Christianity 
has  already  put  its  stamp  upon  the  laws  of  society,  of  the  army,  and  of  the  state, 
and  is  making  itself  felt  in  its  literature  and  forms  of  thought.  Nevertheless  we 
must  bear  in  mind  the  fact  that,  compared  with  the  entire  population,  the  num- 
ber of  Christians  is  small.  Including  those  connected  with  the  Greek  and 
Catholic  churches,  the  highest  number  claiming  the  Christian  name  is  less  than 
one  fourth  of  one  per  cent,  of  the  Japanese  people.  Probably  one  tenth  of  one  per 
cent,  would  more  correctly  indicate  the  number  of  true  followers  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  Even  the  best  of  these  have  only  a few  years  of  Christian  expe- 
rience and  training  between  their  life  to-day  and  the  training  of  their  earlier  years. 
There  are  no  traditions  as  to  Christianity  except  those  of  hatred.  The  Christians 
are  scattered  throughout  the  land  and  meet  constantly  and  everywhere  all  forms 
of  the  idol  worship  of  their  countrymen,  the  arguments  for  the  maintenance  of 
the  old  national  faiths,  together  with  practices  that  run  counter  to  the  true 


30 


Report  of  the  Deputation  to  Japan. 


Christian  life,  and  the  intense  national  feeling  against  a foreign  religion.  Under 
these  circumstances,  the  marvel  is  that  Christianity  has  been  able  not  only  to 
maintain  itself  during  these  later  years  which  mark  the  rise  of  the  new  national 
and  intellectual  spirit,  but  also  to  make  signal  progress. 

We  cannot  expect  that  the  Japanese  Christians  will  hold  all  the  articles  of  our 
faith  in  precisely  the  same  way  that  they  are  held  in  New  England,  where  nearly 
three  centuries  of  Christian  life  and  tradition  lie  back  of  us.  There  is  a strong 
tendency  among  some  of  them  to  investigate  for  themselves  many  of  the.  funda- 
mental principles  of  Christianity  which  we  have  regarded  as  settled,  and  during 
these  investigations  the.y  decline  to  accept  as  authoritative  any  of  the  creeds  of 
Christendom.  We  are  assured  that  the  great  mass  of  Kumi-ai  Christians,  num- 
bering over  11,000,  and  the  far  greater  part  of  the  pastors  and  evangelists,  are 
firm  believers  in  the  old  and  universally  accepted  truths.  None  of  the  extrem- 
ists are  supported  by  our  Board. 

Japan  is  characterized  by  the  intensity  with  which  it  seizes  a new  idea.  We 
believe  the  movement  toward  extreme  liberalism  in  the  Kumi-ai  churches,  which 
is  not  widespread,  but  which  is  championed  by  a few  writers  and  public  speakers, 
if  left  to  its  natural  course,  will  soon  disappear.  A few  who  are  involved  may 
lose  their  faith  in  Christianity  and  leave  the  church,  but  we  believe  the  tendency 
to  destructive  criticism  will  be  less  in  the  future,  and  that  the  work  of  construc- 
tion will  be  more  prominent.  The  theological  problems  of  the  world  are  now 
discussed  in  Japan,  and  that  too  without  a balancing  foundation  of  Christian 
faith  and  life.  One  point  we  desire  especially  to  emphasize ; namely,  that  the 
evidence  is  complete  that  our  missionaries  have  been  eminently  faithful  in  pre- 
senting the  truths  of  the  gospel,  and  that  none  of  the  present  conditions  are  due 
to  any  lack  of  fidelity  upon  their  part. 

Japan  is  not  to  develop  a new  Christianity,  nor  do  we  imagine  that  many 
among  her  Christians  have  any  such  idea.  Yet,  as  in  every  country  into  which 
the  gospel  enters,  the  exact  forms  which  some  phases  of  external  Christianity 
assume  will  be  peculiar  to  that  country,  so  must  we  expect  to  find  in  Japan. 
We  believe  that  the  church  in  Japan  is  founded  upon  the  living  Christ  and  that 
his  spirit  permeates  it,  making  it  a living  church.  We  need  not  be  anxious  over 
the  final  outcome.  The  wonderful  growth  of  the  Kumi-ai  body,  both  in  numbers 
and  influence,  during  the  past  twenty-five  years  gives  us  great  assurance.  A 
human  movement  would  have  been  terminated  by  the  period  of  popularity  of 
Christianity  which  swept  over  Japan  previous  to  1890.  The  reaction  from  that 
condition  was  severe,  and  the  churches  and  the  workers  have  not  entirely  recov- 
ered from  it  at  the  present  time  ; but  we  find  evidence  on  every  side  that  it  is 
recovering  and  that  the  forward  movement  now  is  healthful  and  encouraging. 

The  fact  that  a few  leaders  in  the  Kumi-ai  churches  are  not  now  in  accord  in 
their  beliefs  with  the  Congregational  churches  in  the  United  States  would  not 
justify  curtailing  our  work  in  Japan,  but  rather  furnishes  a reason  why  it  should 
be  strongly  maintained.  The  men  referred  to  are  connected  with  independent 
churches,  over  which  the  Board  has  no  control,  and  they  do  not  seem  to  be  carry- 
ing the  churches  with  them  into  their  radical  positions. 

The  time  has  not  yet  come,  and  for  many  years  may  not  come,  to  leave  the 
evangelization  of  the  empire  to  the  Japanese  churches.  They  are  doing  much. 


Report  of  the  Deputation  to  Japan. 


31 


but  that  much  is  slight  indeed  compared  with  the  needs  of  the  country.  Of  the 
ninety-nine  Kumi-ai  churches  and  provisional  churches,  only  thirty-nine  are  self- 
supporting.  They  all  are  young  in  years.  Some  of  them  have  a small  member- 
ship. All  have  grave  questions  to  meet  and  serious  battles  to  fight  which  are 
incident  to  their  lack  of  experience  and  their  surroundings.  They  need  our 
cooperation.  The  Japanese  Home  Missionary  Society  of  the  Knmi-ai  churches, 
in  its  independence,  is  doing  well,  and  when  it  has  obtained  sufficient  strength 
and  experience,  we  may  expect  it  to  assume  the  support  of  the  places  now  main- 
tained by  the  Board  and  its  missionaries.  Work  is  passed  over  to  them  as 
rapidly  as  they  are  able  to  take  it  up. 

The  work  begun  by  the  American  Board  and  now  connected  with  the  Kumi-ai 
churches  is  by  far  the  strongest  of  any  mission  work  in  Japan.  The  number  of 
Christians  is  about  the  same  as  that  reported  by  the  seven  allied  Presbyterian 
bodies  under  the  name  of  “ the  Church  of  Christ  in  Japan,”  but  the  number  of 
independent  churches  is  much  larger. 

We  recognize  the  heavy  demands  which  are  made  upon  the  individual  mis- 
sionary and  the  necessity  that  he  be  well  equipped  mentally  and  spiritually,  and 
thoroughly  trained  for  this  service.  After  nine  weeks  of  contact  and  conference 
with  the  men  and  women  of  our  Board  in  Japan,  your  Deputation  can  speak  of 
them  in  warmest  terms  as  to  their  ability,  consecration,  and  faith.  They  are 
worthy  the  entire  confidence  and  support  of  our  churches. 

XII.  OTHER  DEPUTATIONS  RECOMMENDED. 

The  members  of  the  Deputation  feel  that  they  cannot  close  this  report  without 
going  outside  the  letter  of  instructions  and  speaking  of  another  subject  which 
experience  has  proved  to  be  of  great  importance,  and,  in  their  opinion,  essential 
to  the  wise  administration  of  our  foreign  missionary  service.  Such  visits  as  we 
have  made  to  Japan  ought  often  to  be  made  to  the  various  mission  fields,  both 
for  the  sake  of  the  missionaries  and  still  more  for  the  sake  of  those  charged  with 
the  duty  of  carrying  on  the  work.  The  problems  of  missionary  policy  in  almost 
all  lands  are  so  complicated  that  study  on  the  ground  alone  can  give  promise  of 
satisfactory  solution.  Therefore  we  unite  in  suggesting  that,  under  the  auspices 
of  the  Prudential  Committee,  occasional  visits  be  made  to  the  various  missions  of 
the  Board  : first,  by  the  secretary  and  members  of  the  Prudential  Committee, 
that  they  may  better  understand  the  responsibilities  resting  upon  them  ; and 
second,  by  such  pastors  and  laymen  as  may  be  selected,  in  order  that  the 
churches  may  be  helped  to  appreciate  the  delicacy  and  difficulty  of  the  service 
committed  to  their  representatives  in  foreign  lands. 

This  report  we  now  most  respectfully  submit,  closing  with  the  words  of  the 
last  audible  prayer  of  the  sainted  Dr.  N.  G.  Clark,  in  whose  home  the  Mission 
originated,  and  under  whose  wise  direction  it  has  made  such  wonderful  progress 
for  twenty-five  years  : “ God  bless  Japan  ! ” 

(Signed)  JAMES  L.  BARTON. 

WILLIAM  P.  ELLISON. 
JAMES  GIBSON  JOHNSON. 
AMORY  H.  BRADFORD. 


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